---
title: "Nation’s Restaurant News: How California Tortilla is Handling Menu Price Hikes as Labor Costs Soar"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/e398d8d3-2348-4b81-95f0-67a26db28433
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/nations-restaurant-news-how-california-tortilla-is-handling-menu-price-hikes-as-labor-costs-soar-2711971
category: "Mexican"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Mexican"
topics: ["Operations"]
published: 2020-01-06T19:14:02.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:30:45.917Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/3b0e27b494fd5d282b7ab1ae7937a3b49725.jpg
---

# Nation’s Restaurant News: How California Tortilla is Handling Menu Price Hikes as Labor Costs Soar

**TL;DR:** California Tortilla is handling menu price hikes due to labor costs by implementing a new streamlined ordering model and using real plates to reassure guests of the value for their money. The brand's chief operating officer, Keith Goldman, discussed this strategy in a recent article in Nation's Restaurant News.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2020-01-06. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/nations-restaurant-news-how-california-tortilla-is-handling-menu-price-hikes-as-labor-costs-soar-2711971).*

## Story

It is no secret that unemployment rates are at record lows, disrupting minimum wages and menu price expectations for operators. Restaurants need to find a balance between remaining profitable and making sure guests believe they are getting their money’s worth. In a recent article in Nation’s Restaurant News, California Tortilla chief operating officer Keith Goldman discussed their strategy for keeping the customer happy without lowering their prices.

“They’re going to decide, ‘Hey, that was really a good meal and I really enjoyed being here and it was a good environment and it was clean and friendly. Yeah, that was worth $12.’ Or, they’re going to say: ‘That really wasn’t worth $12,’ and they didn’t eat all of their food and they didn’t have a great experience or someone was rude to them,” Goldman told Nation’s Restaurant News.

California Tortilla is in the process of implementing a new streamlined ordering model where customers pay first and using real plates throughout its locations in an effort to reassure their guests that the high-quality, customizable meal they are purchasing offers good value for their money.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- menu pricing (topic)
- Nation's Restaurant News (publication)
- labor costs (topic)
- California Tortilla (company)
- customer value (topic)
- streamlined ordering (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/nations-restaurant-news-how-california-tortilla-is-handling-menu-price-hikes-as-labor-costs-soar-2711971). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/e398d8d3-2348-4b81-95f0-67a26db28433).