[catchnear4321]

You are talking about a fundamentally different situation than the article, and than a lot of areas face. “The good restaurants in my area.” That implies a much larger selection than the typical small town, where there’s likely a McD’s but not a chipotle.

And as was already stated, the buying power in these towns tends to also be lower, maybe fluctuating due to tourists but nowhere near a city’s average. Your “people keep coming” and “doubled prices”comment suggests a much higher level of disposable income.

And throwing out corporate chains as part of this? The franchises are just tiny pieces of the whole. There’s a whole massive machine watching each limb, supplying it, and sometimes amputating it. Which, yet again, compare that to a mom and pop, it is nowhere near the same.

If you haven’t been to a small town, you should visit a few. Your disposable income would be welcome in a lot of great restaurants that are still struggling. A lot of not so great ones as well.