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I'm David Nazar.

The restaurant industry is struggling all throughout the US these days.

Minimum wage increases, labor costs, food costs, overhead costs, trying to find good workers.

The list goes on.

Can President Donald Trump and his brilliant business savvy save the day?

Or is that blasphemous?

Sacrilegious to even suggest that Trump could be the answer here in liberal Los Angeles?

To find out, we travel to Santa Monica, California, to meet the co-owners of a popular LA restaurant, and their story is one for the ages.

Believe me, both politically and personally.

Lenny, we're in a public place.

Take that down!

Stop, snake!

Stop the bakery business.

Great.

Again.

Make the restaurant business great again.

Lenny, make our book.

Great, Lenny.

Now, Lenny, there's a way to do it.

You're not doing it correctly.

How many employees are we going to have left?

If ice just marches in our store and take them for.

What are you going to do?

What are you going to do?

Trump will save us.

Don't worry about it, David.

The restaurant industry has been, suffering.

I mean, mainly suffering for years now.

Now that we have a real president in our office, Trump will save the restaurant industry as we know it today.

I believe in the guy I've always believed in, the guy I know.

Whatever he's going to do is going to be great for us.

Besides helping bring down cause, bring down inflation, reducing rates.

David, it's the business savvy.

It's the art of the deal.

It's everything and anything that Trump has learned, whether as a businessman or in office, putting it as collective together to make this restaurant industry what it was, what it used to be, and even better here, though, in liberal Los Angeles, some folks might be offended by what you're saying.

What is the response to these?

Tell people that, David.

To hell with everybody else.

Our industry is suffering right now.

We needed to not just survive, but prosper.

I don't care about the liberals.

I mean, and honestly, it doesn't matter whether you're right or left, you have to be Trump to be able to make this industry work and make us survive and prosper in it for the future.

And for today.

The restaurant industry is dealing with overwhelming challenges.

These days, there's the minimum wage increase, which many restaurant owners say is killing them.

For example, the roughly $18 an hour here in Los Angeles, forcing some restaurant owners either out of business or out of California, where some are fleeing the state.

In addition to the labor costs, there are increased food costs, workers comp insurance, rent costs and staffing shortages.

Where restaurant owners now say it's been difficult to find good workers, many restaurant owners say all these challenges combined are greatly impacting their profit margins, with many restaurant owners insisting the Biden inflation and looming recession of the last administration further complicated the restaurant landscape.

Lenny Rosenberg is a President Trump fanatic.

He worships Trump.

The dealmaking prowess, the business knowhow.

Lenny is the owner and operator of Bed and Bakery located in Santa Monica, California, a SoCal city hotspot with some New York Jewish flavor here in liberal Los Angeles.

And he admits he's kind of the devil.

Blasphemous, sacrilegious for even daring to suggest President Trump is a great president and Trump is going to save the restaurant industry and the small business industry.

I'm going to make a hat.

Trump will make the restaurant industry great again.

You're saying make restaurants great again?

Absolutely.

David Weitz, the restaurant industry is obviously suffering.

We all know there's only one man, one man in America who can change things around.

And his name is Trump.

But Trump has been a businessman his whole entire life since he's been a kid.

I learned it from his father and took it to another degree.

He's he's built buildings, he's had business suits.

He's he's for laid into being the president of the United States.

Who else can go from a businessman to being the president of the United States?

There you go, David.

Since Biden took office, our our industry, our restaurant industry has been decimated by inflation.

That's all we hear.

Inflation, inflation, inflation.

We had a terrible fed governor who just didn't see, he called it, transitory.

Notice how he doesn't mention that word anymore.

He screwed up our economy because of that.

And as you've noticed in the last 4 or 5 months since Trump has taken office, immediately, he has brought inflation down.

It's been a lot easier on us, but it's still tough.

Our food cost has by skyrocketing.

It's come down a little bit, but not enough at this point.

When the food cost goes up, we have to raise our pricing.

When we raise our pricing, we lose customers because customers don't want to spend that kind of money.

Lenny Rosenberg was the first restaurant owner in California to go public over LA's minimum wage increases.

Despite the backlash, he tried to tell the world that the increases were going to be the beginning of restaurant closures throughout the state.

He knows about this all too well.

A decade ago, Lenny was the owner and operator of one of Southern California's most famous Jewish delis, Lenny's Deli in West L.A.

his restaurant was sort of a comfort getaway for thousands of customers every year, dining on lox and bagels corned before pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup.

In its glory days, Lenny's Deli had well over 100 employees.

However, when the then $15 minimum wage hit LA, Lenny says he knew this was trouble for him.

Eventually, he had to sell the business due to all the costs, not just a minimum wage.

To be fair, there were obviously other costs as well.

And after owning and operating dozens of restaurants, Lenny claims he knows best.

David, as you know, I'm a minimum wage connoisseur at this point.

I told you ten years ago when we were at $8 an hour, what was going to happen.

We could be 15, 20, $30, who knows?

And right now, the average amount is somewhere between 18 and $20.

Within ten years.

It's killing us.

We're paying $8.10 years ago.

We have servers who are making close to 40 and $50 an hour with tips.

Look at look at California and specifically how many restaurants have gone out of business right and left.

Every single week I see a restaurant go out of business.

It's ridiculous.

Because of this minimum wage, every other restaurant that was here before is gone.

Lenny, like many other business owners we've interviewed over the last few years here in California, say inflation is what's killing them.

And somehow they all blamed the inflation on the Biden administration.

Fair or unfair, with many restaurant owners like Lenny saying things are now finally beginning to get back on track with Trump back in office.

David, inflation represents a cancer in our business with it decimates all aspects of the restaurant industry or retail in general.

Inflation hits our food costs that we're buying the purveyors from.

When we buy something for X amount more, we have to charge X amount more, our customers have to pay X amount more, and eventually they buy less, or they just don't buy at all.

And know when you have to sort of absorb that cost.

Do you find yourself having to pass it on to the customer, or do you have to raise prices?

Do you have to change your sort of working plan?

How does that work?

Well, as it as a, as a a 40 year veteran in this business of an employer, it it affects my pricing and I absorb it to a certain point.

But after a certain point, over the last couple years, we've had to raise pricing in general.

Most restaurants that I know, because I keep in touch with all the restaurants that I know, they raise pricing at least 3 or 4 times a year.

How many customers you think you're going to lose in a year if you keep raising pricing like that on a fixed income and you're not working anymore, you know, you have to really watch the pocketbooks as can you provide as a restaurant tour, can you provide, you know, top, top, top quality, you know, really delicious food, but at a price that just doesn't feel like, you know, it doesn't feel like overdone, like being really expensive.

You can get great food in LA all over the place.

Santa Monica particular.

It's great restaurants, but it's quite expensive.

And it's a disincentive because you can't spend as if you're on a fixed income.

You certainly can't spend that kind of.

So that's, one way I see it as a restaurant business has always been a difficult business equation for probably most people, especially, people are, working.

It's a ton of people that are retired and so forth is to provide really good value.

And that's a question of quality and price.

We've talked to some other restaurant goers over the last few weeks, and lots of folks were talking to you saying they're getting sticker shock when they read the menu and see the prices, and they attribute it to inflation and the rising costs, etc.. What's your take when you look at the menu these days and see the prices?

It's exactly right.

I mean, it's it's almost like, are you kidding?

I mean, what are you for?

No.

I'm sorry.

Oh, you going to a restaurant?

You're right.

They are more expensive now and they're going out of business, which is sad.

You know, local restaurants have problems sticking around.

There's just.

There is a major problem now with all of this, how often do you go to restaurants?

I go a lot because I hate cooking.

So me so I pretty much either take out or go to a restaurant.

Probably about four times a week.

Otherwise, you were telling me earlier off camera, it kind of makes a dent in the wall.

Yeah, it's definitely it does.

It's absolutely more expensive.

And sometimes you can't even talk about it because people think it's political and it's not.

Or they call it the pocketbook.

Customers are definitely feeling, every fatigue you can think of, whether it's tipping fatigue, whether it's buying fatigue.

Of course, we've had a raise our pricing on the menu because what we're paying for has rates.

So of course the customers prices raise, they're going to buy less.

We're not buying all for that matter.

And the same thing with tipping they're going to tip less or not tip at all for that matter.

Most places today.

Not me, of course, but most places put a surcharge on their on their ticket because they got to pay for everything.

Trump is the greatest businessman ever.

I am the greatest restaurant tour ever.

I have never failed at a restaurant.

I've had more than 30 restaurants.

I think I've lost count at this point and I know how to pivot in any situation I've been, I've had I've had restaurants in nine, 11.

I've had restaurants during Covid, I've had restaurants during this horrible inflation period.

I don't fail just like Trump.

Here's another example of how Trump is going to save the restaurant industry.

He has went out of his way to try to pass this law on no tax on tips.

What a great idea.

Lenny insists you must listen to Trump as both Lenny and Trump like to say.

The president won a mandate last November.

He won the electoral vote, the popular vote, which in this case included the Lenny Rosenberg vote.

Certainly, Trump won the House, the Senate and the hearts of many.

However, one heart, one Trump vote that was not won was out of a daisy won in theory.

So just who is this Trump critic?

Well, a daisy just happens to be the wife of Lenny Rosenberg, and she is the co-owner of NYPD and bakery big.

But I think that he's very like a totalitarian, very cutthroat artist to the beat of his own drum, literally, ignoring the bystanders, the team members, and just doing what he wants to do for himself.

And ultimately it destroys other people.

So safe to say, at the very least, you're skeptical of Trump.

That's an understatement.

One, I mean, look at what he's doing right now in LA.

It's not a secret.

People are working.

And when people are working at different mom and pop shops, you'll have ice come in and just park different workers during business hours because they do not have, you know, papers.

So that's very cutthroat, that's very abrupt.

And everyone's losing.

People are losing family members.

We're losing workers.

There's no one helping in the kitchen, no one helping with the stove, making food.

It's a nightmare.

It seems so that President Trump has some business plan to try to get things back on track.

You do not agree, but I believe that he's going about it the wrong way.

He is not the way you do it.

How should he be going about it?

He should be going about it.

And baby steps.

Step one have a detailed plan like he does.

Step two just give people warnings.

Step three create timelines, not drastic timelines like right now.

Do it in different increments and also get feedback from other people and not just cancel.

The concerns that I have for Trump is that, he's he's too emotional.

His his game plan is too emotional.

And it shows you cannot have people coming into establishments and just plucking workers out as a true leader, it takes thought, absorption and sometimes waiting to say the correct thing when the timing is right.

It's all about timing.

And I think that his he doesn't his timing is off.

So with all that said, obvious question how do you and Lenny coexist as a you know, I take a deep breath at a time.

I have to respect his thoughts and his outlooks.

I have to respect mine.

But we can agree to disagree.

I think that Lenny obviously is a successful entrepreneur, and as his partner, I just think that, he too needs to just take it a step at a time and not be so quick minded to make a judgment immediately and taken in steps.

It's very sensitive time right now.

Everyone's on edge, everyone's all over the place.

Hot mess, mental, issues, physical issues as well.

So it's just about like taking it a step at a time.

And are you saying Trump is contributing to this mess?

Without a doubt, the tariff situation is hurting the restaurant industry pertaining to food costs, beverage costs, supplies, vendors, the flour increase, the eggs, the milk, the juice is too much, too soon, too fast and can't even get the time we blink our eyes is something new.

So I think it's a hurting cost wise.

And that's what keeps everything going.

The revenue pertaining to the cost and the percentages is basically like inflation.

What do you say to folks who believe that prices are leveling off and things are getting better these days?

I think that they are delusional.

Beyond the delusional Trump financial policies, according to a Daisy, she claims that Trump just being Trump just doing what Trump does, so to speak, is having a bad influence on people different like demographics, some of them that they love Trump.

You can see their attitude and behavior and demeanor towards, you know, the employees or even myself.

A lot of people are taken aback that I'm a co-owner.

So, you know, this is contributors to Trump and his rhetoric.

Baby steps.

I agree with your vision, but I think me and Trump don't take baby steps.

We take large step.

I have a question for you.

You know, folks are going to think this is shtick.

This is not because it's making me a bit uncomfortable.

The question I have for you and I asked in all seriousness, how do you guys coexist, at home?

Because politics can be so dividing, so divisive it is.

You folks have lost friends over liking Trump, not liking Trump.

Marriages have split over Trump.

Yeah.

Seriously, how how do you guys deal with it?

Because you both are so polar opposite in your political beliefs.

Your political ideology.

Well, we we've learned to leave business at work and personal at home.

We we don't discuss politics and try not to discuss business at home, although she steps over the boundaries at least 50% of the time.

But I kind of ignore it.

But yes, we leave business with business.

Trump with Trump, home with home.

And the reason I step over the boundaries?

Because if Lenny's walking around with this hat at home morning, afternoon and night and putting in my face right now, I'm going to make a new hat.

By the way, make the restaurant business great again.

This is what I have to deal with at home now.

We don't deal with it when he wears the hat at home.

You do that here.

I don't I don't I don't wear the hat.

Mom.

Step back from there daily arguing, bickering, fighting over President Trump.

And there is a moral to this story that two people from polar opposite backgrounds, polar opposite walks of life, polar opposite political beliefs can find a way to communicate.

I wish it would change just another day in Paradise.

According to the does it look like Paradise?

I'm going to.

I'm going to get a hat for you.

I heard I told you, I don't, I have to.

Yeah, we're going to put it.

Well, possibly I spoke too soon.

It's a sweet world.

Make the restaurant business great again.

To find out more about tariffs, Trump and the economy, we traveled to Chapman University in Orange County, California to meet with a leading expert.

Professor Pete Weitzner is an Aussie legend.

Professor Pete is a 35 year journalist who specializes in reporting on the business and financial markets.

Pete was a host of a very popular Chapman Business Report airing for years on PBS.

He was just the fourth editor in the 50 year history of the iconic Orange County Business Journal, a financial industry go to paper, and he is a broadcast journalism professor here at Chapman.

Professor Pete, thank you so much for being here.

It's a pleasure, Dave.

We're long time colleagues, long time friends.

Great to see you again.

Likewise.

Let's begin with tariffs obviously.

And let me let me set the stage just for 60s.

If you listen to the liberal media, which is much of the media, Trump is a devil.

Tariffs are horrible, the economy is a disaster, etc.

if you listen to many on the far right media, it's great.

Obviously it's somewhere in the middle, so to speak.

There's good points about the tariffs, the leverage and whatnot.

And it could also be a problem.

Certainly the economy is okay these days.

As a CPA, a former CPA, as a financial journalist, you've done so much in this industry.

What is your take with the tariffs?

Here's one of the interesting things about tariffs.

You talked about politically.

You know the former conservative right.

Like Grover Norquist a club for growth.

Well tariffs which are taxes.

They're an anathema to them on the Democrat side.

Our longtime colleague Peter Navarro I believe is still one of President Trump's chief economic advisers.

Peter Peter was very left ideologically.

It was tariffs and unfair trade, especially with China.

That guy, Peter and I suspect many working class, Democrat minded folks to go with President Trump.

My view is the jury is out.

But consider this.

Tariffs do two things.

So we're now 8 or 9 months in.

We recorded this a little bit before you'll run it.

And Trump trade policy seems to change weekly depending on how the tariffs do two things.

They raise revenue.

Right.

And as we sit here in 2025 that has far exceeded expectations.

We're at something like a pace for $300 billion in tariffs last year was 70 billion.

That's a big enough number to put toward the annual deficit or has been portrayed in a populist manner to maybe do a rebate or refund to all taxpayers.

But the biggest thing they do is we would love to pull all tariffs or make them all low, as long as it's reciprocal.

So their leverage.

So now, not only will companies trade or countries trade more fairly with us, but our companies will.

Instead of importing raw materials, Apple, Nvidia, drug companies like Johnson and Johnson they'll build plants here.

That's the bigger goal.

So yes 300 billion is nice to collect.

It's probably not sustainable for a year of the year, but the bigger goal is to use it as leverage to get more equitable trade, drive down our trade deficit.

We're all done journalism that only time will tell is like the worst thing you could do.

But at this point, especially since two things his trade policy does seem to change with very fluid.

And the courts have also been intervening on the trade no see, sometimes with injunctions, although give him credit for this.

And again, you cannot agree and disagree with him on everything.

There's some good there's some bad certainly.

However, with that said, there's got to be a more level playing field.

I mean, the trade deficit is insane.

I'm not sure what's wrong with saying America first in terms of bringing manufacturing back here in Europe.

You don't see Fords and Dodge and Chevrolet and and Jeep driving on the road.

You see the European cars, you see, Japanese cars, you see Chinese imports.

You go to the port of, let's say, Long Beach, the port of LA.

They've got 5 billion crates and cases of Hanjin Shipping and Korean shipping and China Air and this and that.

I believe that there's not that much cargo at ports overseas.

So there is something to be said about trying to just say, look, this has got to be somewhat of a more level playing field.

No doubt the Europeans have been famously protectionist.

Some of this goes back even to the 50s, kind of the Marshall Plan idea.

We needed to rebuild those countries, rebuild their economies postwar.

And then the developing countries now are some of the biggest culprits.

That's typical developing nations.

They are big time exporters.

That would be Brazil, India.

If you look at some of the biggest tariffs that are in place as we speak, they're against those countries.

Just on paper, if you say crossed out the names that the countries and said these have tariffs or they're ex and put the US on the other side is it's a massive imbalance.

It's reflected in our trade deficit, which has other problems.

Inflation, job market.

And what I've always appreciated, professor, is knowing you so many years and such a great business journalist you are, you and I both.

We take such sort of a centrist approach to it.

We don't go liberal.

We don't go conservative, far left, far right.

We look at things as common sense.

For me, the jury is out on tariffs.

I don't know exactly, which is why I have you here to provide some fodder.

And I appreciate the fact it's always nonpartizan with you, which is what I try to accomplish here on the program.

A nonpartisan common sense solution.

However, from what we have seen and witnessed so far, it's fair to say probably Pete, that at the very least, tariffs have given Trump leverage to make some of these great trade deals that no one in the media really wants to report about.

And we've had some it's just framework deals with the entire European Union.

Even with China, the framework and promises of companies like Apple was like 100 billion.

I mentioned in the video, which maybe the most valuable company in the world, with their dominance in the I place promising to invest Merck, Johnson and Johnson.

So let's look at the scorecard.

Nine months into Trump two.

So the stock market's up about 7% on the S&P.

That's pretty good.

That's a 3% growth.

That's pretty good.

Bouncing up a little bit of a low level.

But the trade deficit is growing.

Job growth isn't all that terrific I think a goose or a lowering of interest rates.

But then there's concerns about inflation.

That took a little jump.

But it's still about 3%.

That's not that bad.

So the scorecard with the tariff impact isn't bad.

So far it was expected to be much more inflationary.

And still a lot of economists say down the road, if you look at the scorecard of the Trump one up to Covid, I think you'd have the one would have to be terribly unfair to say that that wasn't about as strong an American economy measure anyway.

Importantly, in housing, housing starts, I should mention, or down as well.

That's important.

But housing was booming, stock market booming, job growth was terrific.

Big rise, in the middle class, standard of living for all Americans.

And then you look, of course, that his career in private industry.

If I'm a betting person, I'm going to look at the track record, take out the name on top because it makes half the country blank.

If I'm a betting person, I'm certainly giving him leeway to see how it plays out again, I don't I don't like it so much when he tough look at this beautiful revenue coming in from tariffs.

That's secondary.

It's to drive as you mentioned these countries the European nations the developing countries with growing economies to trade more equitably with us.

Orange County, California legend.

Professor Weitzner, thank you so much for being here.

The pleasure, Dave.

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