VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Starting July 1, restaurants across Virginia can no longer use Styrofoam cups and containers. For small business owners, that means finding new options and paying more for them.
Rondell Norfleet, owner of Norfleet Bar and Grill in Virginia Beach, said the change will hit his bottom line hard.
"More money being put out man."
Norfleet said switching to alternative containers will cut into his margins.
"We'll find ourselves losing money because we're going to buy individual containers."
His concerns go beyond food containers. To-go drinks are also part of the equation.
"Wow, it's gonna be a big change. We can't to go drinks like Pepsi sprite to go waters. What are we gonna put them in?"
Norfleet said those added costs may eventually force difficult decisions about his menu prices.
"I'm trying to be reasonable cost for my customers for my environment so evidently I'm at a raise my price and that's gonna scare away my customers and run them away."
For Norfleet, the concern comes back to the people who support his business every day.
"We work like hand-in-hand. I need my customers as much as they need. I appreciate my customer as much as they appreciate me without my customer there is no Norfleets sports bar and grill."
He is asking the community to continue standing with local businesses as they adjust to the new law.
"I'm going to need them to come out more and support more just keep our door open."
Norfleet is also reaching out to fellow restaurant owners for guidance on how to navigate the change.
"I'm definitely gonna reach out to the neighborhood restaurants and establishment. What are they using? How they dealing with this because I'm gonna need some input because this is new to me."
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