MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Two Milwaukee restaurants on opposite sides of the city are sounding the alarm, saying inflation, rising food costs, and fewer customers are pushing them to the brink.

Both Bakehouse 23 on the south side, and Mekong Cafe on the north side, recently posted emotional messages to their communities, asking for support before it’s too late.

Bakehouse 23 owner Sarah Mironczuk said this is the slowest year the bakery has ever experienced. Despite years of steady growth, sales are now down 20% from last year, and she said rising ingredient prices are making it harder to keep the business running.

“The most important thing for me is to be able to pay my employees, contribute to my community, and have my own family survive, and I can’t do that this year,” she said.

She added that essential ingredients have become more expensive, including eggs.

“To go from when I started paying $25 a case for eggs, to $125, is an insane inflation,” she said.

Mironczuk said she tries not to raise prices on customers, but the rising costs are making that increasingly difficult.

On Milwaukee’s north side, Mekong Cafe co-owner Sichanh Volp said they are dealing with many of the same challenges, especially since most of their ingredients are imported from Thailand, Vietnam, and China. She said even basic items now cost significantly more.

“Coconut milk… we used to pay $60 a case and now it’s 80,” Volp said.

Milwaukee District 3 Alderman Alex Brower said the strain on small restaurants reflects what many families are facing economically.

“When people have less disposable income, they’re going to eat out less, shop less, use less entertainment and things that aren’t essential,” he said.

Both business owners said supporting local restaurants can make a big difference.

“It’s got to be a continued mindset of supporting local businesses and choosing local businesses over corporations, chain restaurants, big box stores,” Volp said.

Both Bakehouse 23 and Mekong Cafe said continuing to choose local over large chains is critical for their survival.