In Ohio, for the first time this year, consumption in restaurants was also included in the expanded sales tax exemption.
This means that parents – that is, everyone – can treat themselves to a tax-free meal in addition to clothing and school supplies for the start of school.
But did the sales tax-free period from July 30 to August 8 really lead to an increase in restaurant sales, especially in Stark County, where it coincided with the already well-attended Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival, which brings tens of thousands of visitors to the community?
It depends who you ask. Some Stark restaurants saw significant increases that they could directly attribute to the holiday, while others saw no significant change or could not attribute any uptick to it. Several restaurants mentioned that any increase they saw helped bridge the quieter parts of the weekend, especially Thursdays and Mondays.
What is the sales tax free holiday in Ohio?
Ohio’s sales tax-free holiday was extended from three to 10 days this year, and for the first time, restaurant dining was included. According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, the sales tax exemption included all tangible personal goods — basically anything that can be touched, moved or consumed — that cost $500 or less.
But not everything received a tax exemption.
Watercraft and motor vehicles remained taxable. Cigarettes, tobacco and e-cigarettes, as well as all items containing marijuana, were also exempt from tax. There was another major exception: beer, wine, cocktails and other alcoholic beverages continued to be subject to sales tax.
What do Stark County restaurants say about Ohio’s sales tax-free holiday?
For some restaurants, location played a crucial role.
Traditionally, restaurants in Canton and Jackson Township see a boom during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival. Belden Village Mall provided customers with a convenient place to shop and dine.
Two food court restaurants in the mall reported increased sales.
Nikki Nelson, store manager at Sbarro, believes the expansion of the program has resulted in a significant increase in customer traffic.
“Sales have doubled during this period compared to the same period last year,” she said.
Ahmad Ali of Frullati Café also noted, “Customers were very happy with the extension of the tax-free holiday. They were able to find time in their schedule to shop. The food court was very busy and we saw an increase in sales compared to last year.”
This is what others say:
Elizabeth R. Becherer, manager of Condado Tacos in Jackson Township, made several observations.
“We loved the large terrace and our guests were able to marvel at hot air balloons, a drone show and the occasional professional athlete,” she said. “The inclusion of restaurants in the VAT exemption was a great asset for our loyal guests.”
Becherer added that she hopes the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival and Ohio’s sales tax-free day will coincide again next year.
Heather Jones, manager of Bravo Italian Kitchen in Jackson Township, was pleased with the turnout.
“The tax-free holiday attracted above-average numbers of guests for lunch and dinner,” she said. “We also saw an increase in on-site banquets.”
Tony Paumier, owner of The Bistro of Oakwood in Plain Township, expressed his disappointment.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think it was the stimulus we were expecting,” he said. “A lot of people I talked to still seemed to only be looking at the retail aspect of it.”
From his point of view, sales remained normal and were not significantly affected.
Two parts of the Fourth Street Collective in Canton, Deli Ohio and Mike’s Pizza, have not seen a noticeable increase in traffic due to the sales tax exemption. Jackie Wilbur, owner of Benders Food & Spirits in downtown Massillon, agreed, saying they have not noticed a difference in sales.
Tony Ly, owner of Basil Asian Bistro in Canton, also wasn’t sure how big the holiday’s impact was.
“We’ve done more business than I expected, but it’s difficult to attribute that to the tax exemption,” he said.
He added: “It was strange to have the week at the Hall of Fame behind us and the summer coming to an end – and the good weather helped.”
New additions to Belden Village Mall: Belden Village Mall expands food and beverage offerings
Danielle Covelli, director of marketing for Covelli Enterprises, Panera Bread’s largest franchisee, promoted the sales tax exemption in loyalty emails and on Covelli’s social media.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t really say if the tax exemption had an impact on sales, as sales naturally begin to increase at this time of year as we approach the end of summer and back-to-school season,” Covelli said.
This is usually peak season for the Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa in Canton.
“Sales were steady, but due to our peak season and Hall of Fame week, we cannot attribute a large increase to the tax-free holiday,” said Marketing Director Andrea Hartman.
Marc Albert, owner of DP Jackson Steakhouse and The Blazing Pig, both in Jackson Township, found it a bit disappointing.
“We have seen a slight increase during this time,” he said. “We believe the state of Ohio has not adequately communicated the holiday and the tax-free amounts included.”
Albert added that many customers were unaware that this year’s VAT-free period also applies to on-site consumption in restaurants.
What are restaurant customers saying about Ohio’s sales tax-free holiday?
For the Wyandt family of Jackson Township, the impact was negligible.
“With three kids, we spend so much on school supplies and clothing that there’s barely any money left for eating out, sales tax or not,” said Dee-Borah Wyandt when we spoke to her as she left Belden Village Mall after a busy day of shopping.
Seth and Connie Ashcroff of Plain Township, who do not have young children at home, were happy about the savings.
“It wasn’t much, but it added up and allowed us to try a few more restaurants in Stark County that were on our list,” Seth Ashcroff told me.
Jason Leiter and his partner, Lionel, were excited about the opportunity to save some money while dining at some of Stark County’s best restaurants. “It adds up,” he said. “Any time we can save a little here and there, it’s a treat.” They were enjoying a meal at The Bistro of Oakwood, a restaurant that has long been on their “must-try” list.
Single mother LeeAndra Jordan of Canton didn’t know about the sales tax exemption until she received her bill.
“I went shopping for clothes with my daughter and son and then we ate something afterward,” she said. “It was a nice savings.” Jordan and her children enjoyed a variety of foods at the Belden Village Mall food court.
“These are the types of programs that evolve over time.”
The Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance pushed to include restaurants in the holiday.
“People are already shopping, so why don’t we give them an additional incentive to eat out and help restaurants that are still recovering from the pandemic?” said John Barker, the group’s president and CEO.
He said that as the program continues in 2025, the group will look for story features and promotions to highlight why restaurant involvement is important to its success.
“These are the types of programs that evolve over time,” Barker added.
Reach Bev at [email protected] or 330-580-8318.
