Atlanta presidential debate, traffic offers challenges to local businesses

ATLANTA - Traffic congestion in downtown and Midtown Atlanta on Thursday, ahead of the presidential debate, impacted local restaurants and small businesses.

FOX 5 spoke with representatives of nearly 15 small businesses around the debate venue and received mixed feedback.

"Thursday is usually one of our better days, but today it's been dead," Joseph Reynolds, General Manager of Ray's New York Pizza on 5th and Spring Street, told FOX 5. 

The New York-style pizza joint has been at this Midtown Atlanta location for years.

Despite its tenure, the popular restaurant was not spared from road closures like those on 10th Street from State to Spring Street and Fowler Street from 6th to 10th streets or rolling closures along the Downtown Connector as the rresident and former rresident arrived in Atlanta for their first debate of 2024.  

According to Reynolds, a construction site across the street sent its workforce home before lunch to avoid the traffic, resulting in a 40-60% drop in business. 

"It hurts," Reynolds said. 

Just two streets over, Grits and Eggs Breakfast Kitchen welcomed a boon the morning of the debate. 

"We were expecting it to be slower, but we've had a pretty good day," Gary Martinez, Kitchen Manager of Grits and Eggs Breakfast Kitchen, told FOX5. 

Martinez attributed the business to the debate, saying large groups were coming in wearing political shirts and gear. 

"It keeps food moving, keeps everything fresh. Hopefully, they left happy with a good experience and will let everyone know to come back," Martinez said. 

Both Reynolds and Martinez welcome events such as the debate to the city.  

"Yes, yes, yes, we love big events. Big events bring in plenty of people," according to Martinez. 

Despite today's business woes, Reynolds expects the debate and other events like it to raise the city's profile and knows business will be busy again on Friday.