CLEVELAND — There are over 25,000 restaurants in Ohio, including 3,800 in Cuyahoga County.

But with so many options, how do they compete against each other?

Three Cleveland restaurants show us how instead of becoming rivals, joining forces can have better returns.

What You Need To Know

  • 3% to 5% of the total restaurants close in Ohio on average 
  • There are several factors to why a restaurant fails in their first year
  • Three Cleveland vegan restaurants are collaborating 

With a mentality to keep going along with a great business plan, Vitiman Kandie has been in business for two years. Mary Johnson runs the Black-owned vegan restaurant in midtown Cleveland. She started post-COVID pandemic, a time when many restaurants were closing.

“Every year, I would say somewhere in the state, probably, normal years, you might lose 3% to 5% of the total restaurants that are in the state," said John Barker\, the president and CEO of Ohio Restaurant Hospitality Alliance. “The pandemic, we believe we estimate we lost about 3,000 restaurants, which was way out.”

The Ohio Restaurant Hospitality Alliance is an organization that supports restaurants and restaurant owners. Barker has spent decades in this industry and has seen the ups and downs of the restaurant business — the competition, high operating costs, consumer changes and closures.

“Independent restaurants, it's really difficult to get over that first year, and we have a high failure rate in that first year because there's just such a learning curve," said Barker.

Johnson collaborates with other restaurant owners. They come together to share education, learn from others and even refer customers. For Black History Month, she joined forces with Juicy Vegan and Squash the Beef for cash mob, two other Black-owned Cleveland vegan restaurants.

Miesha Wilson owns Juicy Vegan and Kurtis Williams owns Squash the Beef. Both owners understand the benefits of working together and making sure healthy eating is an option. All three owners said their restaurants are in areas where quick, healthy food is limited.

“To try something different to bring the community something exciting, something fresh and something that sustainable because it's creating a healthy impact for the community," said Wilson.

“But there's people don't come there, and we can't stay in business," said Williams.

These business owners hope the community will continue to hear their message of unity. To participate in the cash mob, visit these restaurants on Wednesdays or Fridays and get entered into a drawing.

Included in the cash mob:

  • Juicy Vegan - 15430 Waterloo Rd. in Cleveland
  • Squash the Beef - 1400 E 105th St. in Cleveland
  • Vitiman Kandie - 7228 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland