Page 178 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2026

FINAL SAY MIRANDO
Director of Operations, Gulf Coast Restaurant Group
As both the Director of Operations overseeing restaurants across three states and from someone who has been in the industry for over 40 years, I learned a long time ago that this industry doesn’t move in straight lines—it moves like the tide. And along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, that ebb and flow feels especially familiar.
There have been undeniable highs this past year. Dining rooms full again, the energy of a busy Friday night, the sound of a
bar top filled with conversation, the oyster grills flaming in the background, tourists discovering us for the first time and locals coming back like they never left. There’s definitely something special about watching it all come together. When a kitchen is in sync, when service flows effortlessly, when guests leave better than they arrived—that’s what keeps so many of us in this industry.
But those moments don’t come without challenges.
Operationally, the pressure has been constant these last few years. Rising food costs, ongoing staffing shortages, and the expectation to deliver more while stretching every dollar even further. And layered into that, something harder to measure but impossible to ignore: an unsettled environment outside of our restaurant doors.
Political tension and economic uncertainty have a real impact on our industry. When people feel unsure, dining out is often one of the first things they pull back on. We’ve seen it in shifts in traffic, in spending habits, in the way guests make decisions. It’s a reminder that while restaurants are places of escape and connection, we’re still deeply tied to the world around us.
We’ve had to evolve and find new ways to meet our guests where they are—offering menus with smaller portions and lower price points that allow people to still enjoy a night out without overcommitting. It’s a balance of maintaining quality and experience while adapting to what today’s guest needs, and it’s pushed us to be more thoughtful and creative this past year than ever before.
And beyond the numbers, there’s the human side.
This industry has always required long hours and adaptability, but this year has asked even more of our people. It’s the emotional weight of leading teams through uncertainty, of staying steady when things feel anything but. It’s showing
up, day after day, for your team, your guests, and your community—no matter what’s happening in the world around us.
This past year tested us. It stretched us. But it also reinforced something we’ve always known: this industry is built on people who care deeply about what they do. Despite the highs and lows, the pressure and the unpredictability, there’s still nothing quite like it.
Like the tide, we keep moving forward.
178 | May 2026
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