Two for one deals and shorter hours…These are some of the strategies being used by restaurant owners to lure in more customers and cut back on expenses. California Restaurant Association President Jot Condie says he’s hearing from his members that business is slowing down. Even if that is the case, some local restaurant owners remain optimistic. According to Martha Perez, owner of Jose’s Restaurant, her business is up 20% after a being down almost 30% for 3 months. “I will have been running this business 25 years in July. If this weren’t an established business, the (current economy) would have killed me.” She credits the longevity of Jose’s Restaurant to good management and business ethics. “Prices have gone up. I’ve had to cut employee hours, but I don’t believe in firing someone unless it’s absolutely necessary. That’s not ethical.” Condie says sales are down for some restaurants anywhere from three to seven percent—which he says is significant as profit margins are already low.  “You know at the end of the day, just people aren’t feeling good about the economy and usually eating out at restaurants is one of the first things to go,” says Condie. Since the start of this year, and likely for some time to come, restaurant owners around the state will be feeling the pinch.