Server Marga Hanson waits on Dan Stevenson at George & Leon’s on July 17 in Westbrook. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer)

Over the July Fourth weekend, between excessive heat and staff calling out sick, sales at George and Leon’s were less than stellar, especially on the holiday, when the Westbrook roast beef sandwich shop didn’t open at all.

So, that Monday, owner Logan Abbey took to Instagram, posting a brief PSA in hopes of attracting more customers to recoup the losses.

It worked.

“It was at the point where I was like, ‘Why not?’” Abbey said. “‘I’m just going to reach out to the community because we just really need to have a good week.’”

The rising costs of things like gas and groceries are both putting a strain on consumers’ wallets and squeezing restaurants’ margins prompting some Maine business owners to take new tacks to get diners in the door.

“With the cost of goods right now, every single penny counts; every hour of labor counts,” Abbey said. 

Usually, summer is when Maine restaurants do their best business. Often, they put a hold on happy hour specials. If they’re thinking about closing altogether, they’ll typically wait until fall.

But halfway into the high season this year, the Munjoy Hill location of bakery Belleville and Deering Center barbecue restaurant Noble had shuttered, while other Portland restaurants made adjustments to cut costs or boost business.

Outside of Smoked Portland on Forest Avenue, a letter-board sign lists late-night specials, including $1 wings and $3 draft beers, a recent addition aimed at drawing more customers after 8 p.m.

Co-owner Jason Towle said there’s been a slight dip in sales over the last month at the barbecue joint, which is removed from the city’s touristy foot traffic.

“We have a really steady lunch and dinner crowd, but we tend to die down towards the end of the night,” Towle said. “So we’re just trying to attract some people in here for the last bit of the night.”

In July, upscale Old Port Chinese restaurant Lucky Cheetah also introduced a late-night menu, served 9:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with discounted draft beers and snacks.

About a month ago, pizza chain Otto launched a social media ad campaign pushing its “fair prices,” including a $9.99 deal on two slices and a drink.

In recent years, there’s been a consumer shift to look for “value meals,” according to a 2026 report by global strategy firm L.E.K. Consulting. People are still willing to spend money on food, the report noted, but it has to be “worth it” — a combination of portion size, quality and ease of dining experience.

That’s something Frank Bereyni seemed to understand when making plans for his new bar, Ubu’s Sports Pub & Club, on track to open in October in the former Binga’s Stadium space on Free Street.

“Everything is so pricey in the restaurant industry now,” he said this month. “My goal is to make really good food with a really reasonable price. I want to undercut the market. We’re going to have incredible pricing.”

Bayou Kitchen owner Karl Silander has been struggling to manage the growing costs of ingredients without raising the price of his Cajun breakfast restaurant’s omelets and pancakes. 

He’s also had a hard time hiring staff willing to work for the wage he can afford and decided to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because of it. (In May, Bayou Kitchen 2 in North Deering, which had licensed Silander’s menu and recipes, closed altogether after just over two years in business.)

“I’ve weathered everything from the ’08 recession to massive construction projects to the pandemic,” Silander said. “I have hope that I’m going to stay in this, but I certainly would like less anxiety in my life worrying about paying the bills and everything else.” 

A few months ago, his son, Noah Silander, made a Reddit post asking for more customers to come into the Woodfords Corner spot on the slow weekday mornings.

“It seems to be bringing in some business, which is helpful,” Karl Silander said.