National Restaurant Association Shares Startling Statistics
by David Klemt
An email sent out by the National Restaurant Association yesterday included statistics about the state of restaurants in the United States.
The revelations are breathtakingly disturbing.
While Congress “has been trapped in a political tug-of-war,” the reality for restaurants has only gotten bleaker.
According to the NRA, their most recent survey found that 110,000 restaurants have closed since Covid-19 first dug its infected claws into the United States. That’s an increase of 10,000 closures since the NRA’s last survey, the results of which were released back in September.
Many people outside of the industry are likely under the impression these closures are the result of inexperienced owners failing to adapt. A second NRA statistic dispels that misconception.
Sadly, the average age of the restaurants that have been closing is 16 years old. Sixteen percent had been open for more than three decades.
These closures aren’t the result of inexperience, they’re largely the byproduct of mandated shutdowns—repeated, in some markets—and restrictions handed down by officials who don’t understand the business.
Unfortunately, there’s not much reason to be optimistic that these closures are temporary. The majority of survey respondents who have closed their restaurants, 52 percent, said they won’t return.
The NRA is strongly encouraging everyone to let Congress know that enough is enough—they must make real progress to help the industry.
Please visit RestaurantsAct.com, click the button to email your lawmakers, and share that link with family, friends and industry peers. Don’t let Congress leave for the year without making your voice heard and telling them to pass relief for restaurants and bars.
If our elected officials don’t act fast, things will only get worse.
Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay