The Staycation is here to stay.. and it is benefitting restaurant owners from New York to California!

It's official..

We're taking fewer vacations and traveling less. The price of gas is high, and even wear and tear on the car is a consideration.

So what's a family or a couple to do for some R & R?

The Staycation is here just in time.

Of course, there's nothing new about Staycations. They've been around since the dawn of the 6 day workweek. A Staycation means a visit to the shore rather than a jet to Curacao, or even a train to Vermont rather than a cruise. Surprisingly, the wonder of less expensive vacationing is that they're often more satisfying, invigorating and relaxing than the more traditional.. uh.. fare.

Perhaps counter-intuitively, even with major brokerage houses falling in ruin, moderately priced and even four star restaurants are benefitting from the staycation paradigm shift.

"Well, we're not going to spend $4,000 on a week's vacation, so we might as well go to hell in a handbasket and spend $300 at the city's best restaurant."

Restaurant owners, at first jittery with talk of recession, and impending cataclysmic economic meltdowns, are beginning to see that their business is strong and vibrant. New patrons are showing up, and even the regulars are coming back regularly because everyone wants some familiarity in their routine. A place where everybody knows your name.