Joe's fourth-generation COO, Steve Sawitz, shared the news on Instagram in a heartfelt statement released Wednesday, May 14. The statement draws a direct line between the restaurant's founding principles and its current values. "When I was a kid growing up at Joe's, Mom would always say, 'Everyone should be able to come to Joe's and enjoy a meal, no matter who they are or where they come from,'" Sawitz says. "She undoubtedly learned that from my grandfather, Jesse. And Jesse certainly learned that from my great-grandfather Joe, the guy who started Joe's. And that brings us to today."
"While the Prices Everywhere Else Are Going Up, Joe's Is Bringing Ours Down"
This isn't just about nostalgia. This is a bold, values-driven decision from a family-run business that has spent over a century serving Miami and hosting presidents, celebrities, tourists, and locals alike. Now, as summer approaches and tourists thin, Joe's is doubling down on accessibility for the people who live here year-round."While prices everywhere else are going up, Joe's is bringing our prices down," Sawitz continues. "We're bringing down the price of stone crabs. We're bringing down the price of a bunch of other menu items...even our 'Fried Half Chicken' is down to just $7.95. Because no matter how chaotic things seem, there will always be one thing of which you can be certain: 'Everyone can come to Joe's and enjoy a meal, no matter who you are or where you're from.' It's just the right thing to do."
Joe's is For The People
The response was immediate and emotional. Fans took to Joe's Instagram post to express their admiration, with comments pouring in: "This is why you are one of a kind, Steve! #JoesFanForLife" and "Joe's is for the people!"Founded in 1913, Joe's Stone Crab has long been a symbol of Miami's culinary excellence and cultural soul. It's a place where tuxedoed waiters serve iconic stone crabs, hash browns, key lime pie, and memories to generations of diners. That legacy, built on hard work, hospitality, and integrity, continues to grow under the stewardship of the Sawitz family.
In an era when profit often overshadows principle, Joe's is proving once again why it remains not just a restaurant, but a Miami institution, as well as one of the most beloved restaurants in the world (no. 19, to be exact). Because at Joe's, it's not just about what's on the plate, it's about who's sitting at the table — and that's everyone.
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