![]()
A waitress at Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge.
A waitress at Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge.Updated 2:30 p.m. – Local restaurant owners are voicing strong opposition to Prince William County’s meals tax, which is set to generate $42 million in Fiscal Year 2025—an increase of $10 million, or 31.25%, from the previous year.
The meals tax, enacted in 2022, has been a consistent contention among business owners, who argue it places additional strain on their already tight profit margins. Inflation, staffing shortages, and rising costs for food, rent, and utilities have made operating a restaurant more expensive, and many owners believe the meals tax exacerbates these challenges.
Nelson Head, owner of Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge, expressed frustration with the tax, stating, "You say you want to support small business in the county, but you've attacked some of the key small businesses by making their food so expensive no one is buying it."