Tilman Fertitta says he’s been surprised by strength of his restaurants and casinos in March

Tilman Fertitta says he’s been surprised by strength of his restaurants and casinos in March

Billionaire restaurateur and casino operator Tilman Fertitta told CNBC on Tuesday he's been caught off guard by the strength of his businesses in March.

His comments on "Power Lunch" offer further insight into consumer confidence in the U.S. economy as states roll back pandemic-era restrictions and more Americans are vaccinated against Covid.

"Our numbers in March are surprising to us in all 40 states that we do business in," said Fertitta, chairman and CEO of Houston-based Landry's, whose restaurants include Joe's Crab Shack and Morton's The Steakhouse. Fertitta also owns the Golden Nugget brand of casinos and hotels.

"Even in California and New York, where you don't have the business traveler, people are still going out in huge numbers now," he said. "In Texas and Florida, they're just blowing numbers away. People are tired of being locked up."

Hours before Fertitta's remarks, the Conference Board released its consumer confidence index for March, which jumped to its highest level since the Covid pandemic began last year. It represented yet another data point backing up expectations for a strong economic rebound from the health crisis, which hit restaurants and the hospitality sector particularly hard.

In a CNBC interview Wednesday, Barry Sternlicht, the chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, said