Chicago's 90-Year-Old Diner Fights for Survival Amid Inflation: 'Tell the Revolutionaries to Come by for a Sandwich'

A beloved Chicago diner is on the brink of closing its doors for good as it struggles to keep up with inflation. Moon's Sandwich Shop, a stalwart since 1933, has weathered economic storms from the Great Depression to the pandemic. Named after its moonshining founders, the shop is facing increased labor costs and the relentless squeeze of inflation, according to owner Jim Radek.

Skyrocketing costs for eggs, butter, and wages have Radek questioning whether to pass the burden onto customers already stung by price hikes. Meanwhile, customers express frustration over escalating menu prices, growing concerns about immigration, and the increasingly elusive dream of homeownership.

A Legacy Under Threat

Moon's Sandwich Shop, a stalwart since 1933, has weathered economic storms from the Great Depression to the pandemic, but now is on the brink of closing its doors for good. Named after its moonshining founders, the shop is now facing increasing labor costs and the relentless squeeze of inflation, according to owner Jim Radek.

Radek told the Wall Street Journal he isn't sure what the answer is in terms of what presidential nominee can dig America out of this economic mess. Unlike his butter suppliers, who can arbitrarily hike prices daily, Radek can't afford to alienate customers with frequent price increases. 'A year ago rib-eye steak cost me $6.95 a pound. Now it's $8.95 a pound,' said Radek, noting the never-ending customer complaints about cost.

'You've gotta give [the customers] a song and dance about it,' he said.

The Impact on Customers

Regular customers at Moon’s, including security guards, child-care workers, and barbers, are eager to hear concrete proposals from all political parties on addressing poverty, tackling the housing affordability crisis, and ensuring living wages for working people. Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has proposed expanding the child tax credit, address the housing shortage by ordering the constriction of 3 million homes, and penalize price gouging by targeting companies that unfairly raise prices.

She and her allies are expected to lay out her party's game plan to winning the election at the Democratic National Convention, which takes place this week in Chicago - a stone's throw from Moon's.

Moon's Diner is a cornerstone of the South and West side neighborhoods of the Windy city, many of its regular customers grew up in neighborhoods grappling with crime and poverty, including the former Rockwell Gardens public housing project that once stood behind the restaurant. A beloved gathering spot, Moon's remains a lifeline for those who've stayed in the area. However, the rising cost of living is threatening to displace even longtime residents.

Tameeka White, a former Rockwell Gardens tenant, is facing a rent hike of nearly $600 in just five years.

'And this is the hood,” she told the WSJ. She added that her landlord blamed the increase on soaring homeowner's insurance. Earning $18. 85 an hour as a security guard, she supports multiple family members. With an annual income of around $40,000, she falls into a financial gap, making too much for food stamps but struggling to make ends meet.

Skyrocketing costs for eggs, butter, and wages have Radek questioning whether to pass the burden onto customers already stung by a necessary price hike

Customers often express frustration over escalating menu prices, growing concerns about immigration, and the increasingly elusive dream of homeownership

She said she's voting for Harris in hopes she follows through with her promises on helping the working class with food and lowering medication costs.

The Struggle for a Dream

Eboni Humphrey, a Moon’s regular since childhood, now runs a home-based daycare in nearby Lawndale. Picking up corned beef for herself and a breakfast plate for her uncle, she shared her dream of owning a dedicated daycare space in a quieter neighborhood.

But with most of her income derived from state funding for low-income families, that goal feels out of reach. As they waited for their food, Humphrey and White exchanged stories with friends.

Both expressed frustration over the economic challenges facing many Americans and questioned the allocation of government resources, particularly in light of the influx of migrants to Chicago. Over 46,000 migrants have arrived in the city since 2022, placing a strain on local services.

'There are people right here that are homeless, living on the street…it’s people right here in our country that need help,' Humphrey said. While she said she is considering voting for Trump because of his honesty, she is concerned that his legal will remain an obstacle for his reelection. She is now debating whether to back Harris.

Kortasha Jones, an employee of the 90-year-old deli and grew up in Rockwell, has been forced to bus long hours to work as she can't afford to replace her totaled car. 'I can get an Uber or Lyft sometimes but that's kind of costly,' she said. Due to rising costs of food, she has been forced to eat less, stretching her meals as far as she can.

Although the inflation rate in the US is currently at 2.9 percent, down from 3.18 percent in the same period last year, Radek said he isn't sure which presidential nominee can dig America out of this economic mess

A Message for the Revolutionaries

Radek's goal is to sell Moon's by next year and retire at age 75. With little faith in both political parties, he still sends a message to DNC convention attendees: 'Tell the revolutionaries to come by for a sandwich.'

Jones would like to see a woman as president but is worried Harris will still fall short of her word. Above everything, she said she wants a glimmer of hope. Adrian Buford, a customer at Moon's who admits to not being politically involved, said she plans to cast her vote for Harris 'so people in poverty get the same shake as everyone else,'

As the last of his lunchtime customers drifted out, Radek propped himself on a counter stool and tallied up his troubles for his small business. Chicago's minimum wage, which climbs annually by either 2. 5% or the rate of inflation—whichever is lower—just hit $16.20 an hour.