Pandemic

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by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

What the B.C. Restart Means for Operators

What the B.C. Restart Means for Operators

by David Klemt

The Next Step chalk concept with footprints

In news that’s not exactly surprising, the British Columbia “circuit breaker” expiration didn’t lead to a full reopening.

Instead, the province is launching the B.C. Restart plan.

Obviously, not returning to restriction-free restaurant and bar service is disappointing. However, the plan does give operators dates against which they can plan for staffing, inventory, and other aspects of running their businesses.

Of course, that’s only if officials execute the plan as-is.

Not Surprising

As B.C. operators are well aware, the expiration of the province’s “circuit breaker” doesn’t mean they can return to pre-pandemic operations. Clearly, it would’ve been helpful to the province’s hospitality operators for officials like Premier John Horgan to have made that clear last week.

Resources are razor thin and have been since the start of the pandemic and pandemic-driven shutdowns and restrictions. The more lead time officials can provide hospitality operators to prepare for changes to Covid-19 operational protocols, the better.

Let me say that again for any officials who may read this: Restaurant, bar and other hospitality businesses need more than a few days’ notice to prepare for rule changes.

As long as B.C. Restart targets are hit and numbers don’t head in the wrong direction, at least the new plan is clearer than last week’s expiration announcement.

Four-step Plan

B.C. Restart targets four dates that should remain in place as long as Covid-19 case, hospitalization and death rates remain low. Conversely, the province is seeking increases in adult vaccination rates (for dose one).

Unsurprisingly, the province is now in step one of the four-step B.C. Restart plan. The goal is to achieve a 60-percent dose-one vaccination rate among the province’s adult population. A mask mandate is in place provincewide, as are safety protocols like social distancing. Indoor and outdoor dining is restricted to a maximum of six people, with safety protocols.

The earliest date for step two to begin is June 15 and targets a 65-percent adult vaccination rate. B.C.’s mask mandate remains, as do business safety protocols and physical distancing measures. Interestingly, the province’s travel restrictions are removed.

Step three starts on June 1 at the earliest, targeting a 70-percent adult inoculation rate, low Covid-19 case rate, and decline in hospitalizations. Officials will announce new PPE and social distancing guidelines, organized indoor and outdoor gathering capacity will increase, and nightclubs and casinos will reopen (with capacity limits and safety protocols).

If all goes to plan, September 7 is the earliest start to step four, which targets a dose-one adult vaccination rate of more than 70 percent. B.C. will permit a return to “normal” social contact.

For Operators

Restaurant and bar operators—at the moment—should focus on steps one and two of B.C. Restart.

The reason is simple: During steps one and two, restaurants and bars must operate under the pre-circuit-breaker health and safety protocols.

So, operators must follow these rules for step one:

  • Indoor and outdoor dining capacity: 6 people
  • Liquor service curfew: 10:00 PM

And the following for step two:

  • Indoor and outdoor dining capacity: 6 people
  • Liquor service curfew: Midnight

Should things stay on track, step three will rescind the liquor service curfew, and there will be no group limit for indoor and outdoor dining.

Obviously, B.C. Restart isn’t what operators wanted when officials announced the expiration of the circuit breaker. However, the new plan does allow operators to plan ahead and gives us a glimpse of a light at the end of a very long, very erratic, very dark tunnel.

To review the plan in more detail, click here.

Image: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Which States are Reopening this Summer?

Which States are Reopening this Summer?

by David Klemt

Grand re-opening sign

Around one-third of America’s population is vaccinated fully and some states are easing restrictions.

Per the CDC, not exactly America’s favorite agency, more than 40 percent of Americans have received one Covid-19 vaccine shot. Just over 30 percent have completed the vaccine process.

So, which states are planning to reopen fully for Summer 2021? We have a list of some of the states that have made their plans to reopen 100 percent known so far.

California

The Golden State plans to reopen fully on June 15. According to doctors at the University of California San Francisco, the state is nearing herd immunity. However, Governor Gavin Newsom’s target date relies on two criteria:

  • Vaccine supply must be sufficient enough “for Californians 16 years and older who wish to” receive inoculation.
  • Hospitalization rates must remain low and stable.

Illinois

Per Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the plan is for the city of Chicago to be open 100 percent by July 4. Of course, that means reopening fully right in time for one of the biggest celebratory holidays of the year. However, Governor J.B. Pritzker says Illinois could reopen in as early as the start or middle of June.

Nevada

Governor Steve Sisolak plans for Nevada to reopen fully on June 1. That said, casinos in the Silver State have a slightly different timeline. With the exception of nightclubs, dayclubs and live performances, casinos will open 100 percent June 4 if all requirements are met.

New York

According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the plan is to reopen New York City on July 1. Governor Andrew Cuomo hopes to reopen New York State fully before that date.

Texas

Governor Greg Abbott opened the state 100 percent back in March. However, judges in the state’s 22 counties still have the authority to impose Covid-19 mitigation strategies. Hospitalization rates in a particular county rising above 15-percent hospital bed capacity for seven days would be a triggering event.

As the vaccine rollout continues, it’s likely we’ll see more states announce Summer 2021 reopening plans. Still, operators should proceed with caution and remain in compliance with state, county and local Covid-19 rules. This is, after all, a fluid situation.

There’s light at the end of the tunnel but now’s not the time to be complacent.

Image: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

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by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

SBA Releases RRF Guide and Forms

SBA Releases RRF Guide and Forms

by David Klemt

"This is the sign you've been looking for" white neon sign on brick wall

Operators in the United States are nearing the opening of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund application process.

The Small Business Administration’s RRF program guide and sample application are now available.

Let’s jump in!

RRF at a Glance

In simple terms, the RRF is the most targeted relief the industry in America has received since the pandemic took hold.

Eligible entities apply for a tax-free grant equal to the amount of a their pandemic-related revenue losses.

To calculate a grant amount, an applicant subtracts 2020 gross receipts from 2019 gross receipts. Applicants must deduct first-draw PPP and second-draw PPP loans, even if they’re paid back or forgiven. Any economic disaster loans—Economic Injury Disaster Loans, for example—are not RRF deductions.

Per the SBA, operators do not need to register for a System for Award Management (SAM.gov) account, meaning they no longer need to acquire a DUNS number.

RRF Eligibility

As the SBA’s RRF program guide states, eligible businesses A) must not be closed permanently, and B) are places where customers gather primarily to consume food or drink. Such entities include:

  • restaurants;
  • bars;
  • saloons;
  • lounges;
  • taverns;
  • food trucks, carts and stands;
  • snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars;
  • licensed facilities or premises of a beverage alcohol producer where the public may taste, sample, or purchase product; and
  • other similar places of business in which the public or patrons assemble for the primary purpose of being served food or drink.

However, that’s in no way the entire list of eligible businesses. Bakeries, breweries, microbreweries, brewpubs, taprooms, distilleries, wineries, and tasting rooms are eligible if they can provide documentation (which must accompany their application) that:

  • on-site sales to the public comprised at least 33% of gross receipts in 2019; or
  • original business model should have contemplated at least 33% of gross receipts in on-site sales to the public if they’ve yet to open or opened in 2020.

Interestingly, it’s possible for an inn to be eligible for the RRF. Such a business is subject to the same eligibility requirements as bakeries, breweries, etc.

Eligible Expenses

Businesses that receive an RRF grant may use the funds for eligible expenses during their covered period. That timeframe is the “period beginning on February 15, 2020 and ending on March 11, 2023.” Should the business close permanently, that period will end when the business permanently closes or on March 11, 2023, whichever occurs sooner.”

A grant recipient must return any funds to the Treasury if they’re unable to use for eligible expenses by the end of the covered period.

So, which expenses are eligible per the SBA for the RRF program? Below is a short list of eligible expenses:

  • Payroll costs (sick leave, costs for group health care, life, disability, vision, or dental benefits during periods of paid sick, medical, or family leave, and group health care, life, disability, vision, or dental insurance premiums).
  • Payments on any business mortgage obligation, both principal and interest (Note: Excludes any prepayment of principal on a mortgage obligation).
  • Business rent payments, including rent under a lease agreement (Note: Excludes any prepayment of rent).
  • Construction of outdoor seating.
  • Business supplies (including protective equipment and cleaning materials).

For the full list of eligible expenses and many more RRF details, please click here to download and view the entire SBA RRF program guide. To view the sample application and prepare for the process to begin, click here.

Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only, and should not be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. This article does not constitute professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law. This information is of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of a specific individual or entity. The reader of this information alone assumes the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information before making any decisions based on such information.

Image: Austin Chan on Unsplash 

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

California’s Restrictive Regional Stay-at-Home Order Rescinded

California’s Restrictive Regional Stay-at-Home Order Rescinded

by David Klemt

Expectation became reality yesterday when Governor Gavin Newsom rescinded California’s highly restrictive regional stay-at-home order.

It had been reported for at least a day prior that Gov. Newsom was expected to do so on January 25.

The order, which choked the life out of restaurants, bars and other businesses, has been in place since the start of December 2020.

As we reported several weeks ago, a group of Orange County operators pushed back against the order shortly after it was imposed. The #OPENSAFE collective released a statement announcing their intention to protest Gov. Newsom’s stay-at-home order by remaining open for in-person dining.

Other states that imposed seemingly arbitrary and illogical orders that crushed restaurants and bars also experienced open defiance from operators. One of the highest-profile protests came from New York City restaurants.

Speaking for the first time in well over a week about California’s efforts to combat Covid-19, Gov. Newsom said, “Everything that should be up is up, everything that should be down is down.”

That’s an interesting claim given California experienced a record number of Covid-19-related deaths on January 21 with 761. During his press conference, the embattled governor claimed he lifted his stay-at-home order due to ICU numbers and not because of the multiple lawsuits filed against him or the current recall campaign.

Rather, Gov. Newsom said that he made his decision based on Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations decreasing while vaccination rates are reportedly trending upward. However, as one source cited, just 26 percent of California’s allotted vaccine doses had been administered as of last week.

The rescinding of the regional stay-at-home order doesn’t mean that businesses can reopen and resume operations as usual. Each of the state’s counties will be color-coded according to California’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy.” Projections will be set aside for actual transmission rate data.

Tier 4 is color-coded yellow and its Covid-19 transmission risk is labeled “Minimal.” Tier 3 is orange and “Moderate,” where as Tier 2 is red and “Substantial.” Tier 1, which is purple, is labeled “Widespread.”

At the moment, most counties in California are purple.

Restaurants located in a Tier 1 county can offer only outdoor in-person dining. Those in Tier 2 can offer indoor dining but only at 25-percent capacity or 100-person maximum capacity (whichever is lower). Tier 3 bumps capacity to 50 percent or 200 people, and Tier 4 dictates a maximum of 50 percent capacity.

As expected, bars (along with breweries distilleries) that don’t serve food receive much harsher treatment than restaurants. Those located in a county designated purple or red must close. Bars in orange counties can open for outdoor service only, and those in yellow counties can offer indoor service at 50-percent maximum capacity. Bars “where [a] meal is provided” follow restaurant guidelines for the four applicable tiers.

Movie theaters, for context concerning how bars are being treated, are subject to the same guidance as restaurants in California’s blueprint. Such venues aren’t exactly known for providing meals.

Before operators who have chosen to work within California’s guidelines throw their doors open, they need to know two things. One, county officials are permitted to impose their own restrictions. If they choose to do so, those restrictions can be stricter than those that come down from state officials.

Two, for those operators in Los Angeles County, confusion remains regarding outdoor dining. Some interpret the rescinding of the state’s prohibition on outdoor dining as a lifting the ban. However, LA County implemented its own ban before the state did so. That county-issued ban expired on December 16 but outdoor dining was banned under the statewide stay-at-home order.

It may seem cut and dry that the expiration of the county order and the lifting of the state’s ban shifts LA County to Tier 1 restrictions. Operators should make sure they’re clear to resume outdoor service before incurring the costs associated with doing so.

How long California will revert back to the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy is anyone’s guess. Operators in several states have found themselves caught in a vicious open-close, open-close vortex. At any rate, 25-percent capacity restrictions will still more than likely make it more cost-effective for some operations to remain closed for indoor service.

Image: Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

You Need to Watch “Restaurant Hustle 2020: All on the Line” Now

You Need to Watch Restaurant Hustle 2020: All on the Line Now

by David Klemt

Whether you own, operate, manage, are employed by or have ever spent time at a restaurant as a guest, you need to watch Food Network’s Restaurant Hustle 2020: All on the Line.

Guy Fieri, who has helped raise $24 million (and counting) for restaurant industry workers, executive produced and co-directed the documentary, which aired last night. He tasked skeleton production crews (one would assume given the pandemic) with following four incredible chefs—Marcus Samuelsson, Maneet Chauhan (and her husband Vivek), Christian Petroni, and Antonia Lofaso—and said he wanted them to keep the cameras rolling to capture “the good, the bad and the ugly.”

When the scope of Covid-19 became clearer and the industry began to see how much devastating its impact would be on restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues, Fieri says in the documentary that he had two thoughts: “’No way can this happen,’ and, ‘Oh my god, this is gonna be worse than we ever imagined.’”

He’s angry about what’s happening to the industry and millions of people it employs and feeds.

“I was mad. I’m still mad,” says Fieri in Restaurant Hustle 2020. “Wrecked lives, wrecked families… Changed the history of the industry.”

Per the documentary, Fieri felt compelled to help his “millions of brothers and sisters” in whatever ways possible: “There was no words. It’s coming. Prepare. Stick together. What can we do?”

The documentary begins with three indisputable facts that speak volumes to the importance of the industry: The restaurant industry employs over 15 million people. That equals up to 20 percent of America’s workforce. The industry generates over $850 billion in sales.

From there, Restaurant Hustle 2020 introduces the four chefs, their restaurants, their challenges, and their collective hustle. Like so many in this industry, there’s no giving up in these people—there’s only fight.

Chef Marcus Samuelsson

Seeking community after 9/11, Chef Samuelsson opened the Harlem location of Red Rooster in 2010. That location employed 180 people—Chef Samuelsson had 30 venues located in eight countries when Covid-19 hit. Pre-pandemic, Red Rooster in Harlem would see around 1,100 guests on a Saturday night, and Chef Samuelson was just a week out from opening the doors of Red Rooster in Miami.

“It’s taken me 25 years to build this moment, but it took ten days to tear it all down. I don’t wish it on my worst enemy,” says Chef Samuelsson.

Chef Maneet Chauhan

Chef Chauhan and her husband Vivek operate four restaurants and three breweries within the Morph Hospitality Group portfolio in Nashville, Tennessee. At their peak, they served 2,500 guests over the course of a weekend. Morph employed nearly 300 people but by March they made the heart-wrenching decision to close their doors. Recalling the difficult choice, Chef Chauhan is brought to tears talking about how gracious her employees were about it.

However, Chef Chauhan and husband Vivek are willing to fight for their dreams and their employees: “The thing is, we are scrappy. We are immigrants,” she says.

Vivek focused on developing and strategizing reopening plans, and the duo fully embody the meaning of the Hindi word “jugaad,” or “a flexible approach to a problem.” While it only represented maybe a tenth of their regular sales, Morph implemented curbside pickup at three of their venues. They rotated availability offering curbside at a different location on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This allowed them to bring back a handful of employees.

Chef Christian Petroni

There are five locations of Chef Petroni‘s Italian restaurant concept Fortina throughout New York’s tri-state area: Armonk, Brooklyn, Rye Brook, Stamford, and Yonkers. Heading into 2020, they were set to have another amazing year after doing very well in 2019.

“We were just gearing up to take over the world,” says Chef Petroni.

The first Covid-19 death in the United States was reported on February 28 in King County in Washington State. As we know, on March 16, 2020, NYC shut down around 27,000 restaurants, resulting in the loss of 225,000 jobs. Chef Petroni employed nearly 300 people but had to reduce his workforce to less than twenty. To help the communities they serve and generate some revenue, Chef Lofaso created Pies for the People so customers were able to buy pies for those in need or who needed a morale boost (such as hospital workers and EMTs).

Chef Antonia Lofaso

Over the course of a decade, Chef Lofaso has built and operated three restaurant concepts in Los Angeles, California. Her restaurants employed almost 500 people and back in February, serving 1,200 guests over the course of just two weekend evenings was common. Chef Lofaso’s biggest passion is the hospitality aspect of restaurant operation and being “the facilitator of the good time.” That good time came crashing down in March.

“It’s taken me ten years to build these three restaurants and it took a matter of a week for it all to be torn down,” says Chef Lofaso.

She admits to feeling sadness and anger, in large part because she had to lay off nearly 500 employees. Chef Lofaso says that she feels responsible to her team members because they help her build her dream. By March she was able to bring back roughly 20 workers, convert her locations into markets, and sell liquor, which allowed her to bring back 90 percent of her back-of-house employees for at least two days per week and double sales.

For the rest of the story, people will have to watch Restaurant Hustle 2020. The importance of Food Network, Guy Fieri and these chefs capturing this crucial moment in history cannot be overstated.

As Fieri says in the documentary, it’s “a historical moment in time in an industry that is so important to all of us in so many ways, shapes and forms, and these four very brave chef-restaurant owners captured it. Something you’ve never seen. Something you’ll probably never see again.”

As we move forward into 2021, it’s crucial we remember that this story is still unfolding—we don’t know what the new year holds for this or any industry. We know that without targeted aid, the lives of millions of Americans are in jeopardy. We know that even with vaccines available, we’re not out of harm’s way yet.

We don’t know what the industry will look like when the world returns to “normal,” whatever that may be. But we know this industry is made up of fighters and we look out for our own. We’ll get through this together.

Food Network is available via several streaming platforms, including Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV.

Photo by Shangyou Shi on Unsplash

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

75% of American Restaurant Operators Expect Decreased Sales Through Start of 2021

75% of American Restaurant Operators Expect Decreased Sales Through January

by David Klemt

The fifth National Restaurant Association COVID-19 Restaurant Impact Survey results have been released.

Unsurprisingly and unfortunately, the news is not good.

For their fifth installment, the NRA surveyed 6,000 restaurant operators and 250 supply chain businesses between November 17 and 30. Full-service and limited-service restaurant operators, independent and chain, reported their sales had slipped in October.

Only 12 percent of restaurant operators reported seeing sales growth. In comparison, 79 percent said sales were down.

Per the NRA survey, one reason for the decline in sales is outdoor dining season coming to a close. In New York City, per Governor Andrew Cuomo’s order banning indoor dining, outdoor dining is the only option beyond delivery and takeout. However, the weather is less than attractive for outdoor diners.

Costs are disproportionate to sales for most operators. Nearly 60 percent of survey participants reported increased labor costs when compared to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States.

Profit margins, historically thin even at the best of times, were reported by 86 percent of operators who partook in the survey to also be lower than the they were prior to the pandemic.

The NRA’s predicted outcome for the industry is that without targeted and significant federal relief specifically for restaurants and bars, more temporary and permanent closures are coming, as are further losses of jobs.

According to an estimate from the NRA, more than 110,000 restaurants and bars had closed by December 1. On average, these establishments employed 32 people, and 17 percent of the closed businesses employed a minimum of 50 people.

Close to 40 percent of survey participants indicated they were considering closing their restaurants or bars temporarily and waiting out the pandemic. That means layoffs that could affect dozens of employees per establishment. Almost 60 percent of survey participants expect a reduction in their workforces over the coming three months.

Sales are expected to lag through the start of next year. The majority of operators surveyed, 75 percent, expect sales to fall even further from their already lower levels through the start of next year.

If that logical assumption becomes reality, slowed sales may trigger a domino effect: reduced traffic, plummeting sales, and increased operational costs leading to layoffs, temporary closures, and ultimately permanent closures.

Restaurants and bars require targeted relief for the industry to survive. If that help doesn’t come soon, if the RESTAURANTS Act or similar legislation isn’t signed into law, the country will lose millions of jobs permanently. The economy will be dealt a lethal blow, losing out on tens of billions of dollars.

Now is not the time to back off the pressure being put on Congress and Senate to pass the RESTAURANTS Act. Click here to tell them time is up—they must return to Washington in January to save our restaurants and bars.

Image: Enrico Hänel from Pexels

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Is Texas the Model for Restaurant Operation During the Pandemic?

Is Texas the Model for Restaurant Operation During the Pandemic?

by David Klemt

The mass exodus to Texas has been all over the news lately.

Many new Texas residents moved to the Lone Star State moved from California. Some moved to escape exorbitant rent, home prices, and taxes. But others have left California due to what some deem over-reaching Covid-19 restrictions.

On December 5, a regional stay-at-home order took effect in five California regions. Included in that order was a restriction on “nonessential trips” between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 5:00 A.M. Some California lawmakers disagreed with labeling the restriction a “curfew” but it certainly seemed like one to Californians.

Also included in the order was a full shutdown of businesses categorized as bars, while restaurants were restricted to delivery and takeout only. In response, a group of operators in Orange County formed the #OPENSAFE movement and made it known they intended to defy the order, which is expected to remain in place through at least Christmas.

It’s likely that some former Californians flocked to Texas due to Governor Gavin Newsom’s restrictive stay-at-home order and “Covid fatigue.”

But is Texas less restrictive than California?

Some counties in Texas did implement curfews. For example, a 10:00 P.M. to 5:00 A.M. curfew took effect in Bexar, El Paso and San Antonio Counties over the Thanksgiving holiday. However, they were short-lived and ended November 30.

According to reports, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego is mulling the idea of a “partial curfew” for the period between the Christmas holiday and New Year’s Eve.

One major difference between the orders implemented in California and those that were issued in Texas is that the latter weren’t blanket, statewide restrictions.

Another difference regards bars. Drinking establishments are closed throughout California. In Texas, according to this document located on the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission website, “[b]ars or similar establishments located in counties that have opted in may operate for in-person service up to 50% of the total listed occupancy inside the bar or similar establishment,” and guests must remained seated if they’re drinking or eating.

Interestingly, no occupancy limit exists for a bar’s (or “similar establishment’s”) outdoor area. Another interesting detail: “the County Judge of each county may choose to opt in with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to allow bars or similar establishments to operate with in-person service.”

That statement relates to Texas’ GA-32 executive order. In counties where Covid-19-related hospitalization rates and case counts meet state requirements, county judges can opt-in to reopen bars. In fact, the TABC features a map—updated daily at 3:00 P.M. CST—that displays the counties in which bars are permitted to open their doors.

Bars are required to stop serving alcohol at 11:00 P.M. but don’t have to close for business or send guests away at that time.

Restrictions are different for Texas restaurants. According to the TABC’s website, “Restaurants may operate for dine-in service up to 75% of the total listed occupancy inside the restaurant; outdoor dining is not subject to an occupancy limit; and restaurant employees and contractors are not counted towards the occupancy limitation. This applies only to restaurants that have less than 51% of their gross sales from alcoholic beverages.”

Per news coverage, the cutoff rule Texas bars operate under doesn’t apply to restaurants, motivating the decision of thousands of bar owners to reopen their businesses as restaurants.

One of the highest-profile ex-Californians who made the move to Texas recently is Joe Rogan. Rogan speaks with Texas native and entrepreneur Richard Rawlings on the most recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on Spotify. The subject of California comes up roughly 23 minutes into the discussion, with Rogan calling out California and saying that Californians “are recognizing” that “California itself doesn’t exist as everybody thought of it.”

Rogan goes on to say that California’s government is to blame for the exodus to Texas, saying, “Literally, it’s a case of now we know that if you have poor government, the government can ruin a state.”

He praises Texas Governor Greg Abbott and his approach to Covid-19. In particular, Rogan lauds Gov. Abbott for shutting down the state for a short period of time but allowing businesses to remain open. He mentions that while businesses are still struggling—capacity restrictions, social distancing protocols, mask requirements—at least they’re able to operate.

At around the 24-minute mark, the conversation shifts to restaurants in particular.

“You can’t even go eat outside. There’s a 10:00 P.M. curfew in Los Angeles. It’s insane. There’s no science behind it, either. There’s no science that shows that if you get people to stay home after 10:00 P.M. that there’s less transmission,” says Rogan.” There’s no science, nothing. It’s arbitrary decisions that are made by politicians. And that’s the minimum: The outdoor dining thing is the most egregious because you have all these people that spent so much money to try to convert their restaurants and make these outdoor dining [spaces]—spent thousands of dollars that they didn’t even fucking have. They just wanted to stay open, and then they just get shut down.”

Rawlings then references the owner of Pineapple Hill Saloon & Grill, Angela Marsden, and the emotional, viral video she posted in response to Los Angeles restaurants being prohibited from offering outdoor dining.

Marsden claimed to have spent $80,000 to comply with L.A. County health requirements and create an outdoor dining area before the restriction was put in place. In the video, she shows a television production crew dining under tents set up next to her outdoor dining area. Ultimately, Marsden had to shut down after running out of funds.

“I was pretty pissed off at that one because, you know, we shut down Gas Monkey Bar & Grill for the winter,” says Rawlings. “We’re just hanging out, see what happens.”

Texas hasn’t fully reopened and some may still view some of the state’s Covid-19 rules as arbitrary. However, capacity limitations for bars (up to 50 percent) and restaurants (up to 75 percent) are much more viable for operators.

There are other questions to consider regarding Covid-19 protocols and restrictions. If state lawmakers implement rules that ultimately encourage their residents to flee to other states, does that increase the risk of infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths rising in those states? Is America capable of setting aside our divisions and pulling in the same direction to flatten curves nationwide? Are our lawmakers capable of abandoning the arbitrary for the targeted and logical to provide relief and increase the survivability rates of restaurants, bars and other small businesses?

Covid-19 protocols can change in any state at any time, but for now, Texas may serve as the best model for restricted restaurant and bar operations in the United States.

Image: Thomas Park on Unsplash

by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Significant, Permanent Restaurant Closures Expected to Rock Canada Unless Situation Improves

Significant, Permanent Restaurant Closures Expected to Rock Canada Unless Situation Improves

by David Klemt

Industry surveys continue to reveal how dire the situation is for operators.

On December 8, Restaurants Canada, a non-profit that represents and advocates for the Great White North’s restaurant industry, shared the results of a survey they had conducted between November 26 and December 4. A total of 511 surveys representing 3,000 restaurants were completed.

According to Restaurants Canada, the nation’s foodservice industry consists of 97,500 establishments ranging from QSRs to bars and full-service venues.

More than eight out of ten survey respondents answered that they are either barely staying afloat or are operating at a loss. Drilling deeper, significantly more restaurants are operating at a loss—65 percent of survey respondents fall into this category. Just 19 percent of restaurants represented by survey respondents are able to break even.

That’s 2,400 restaurants of 3,000 struggling to survive, and 78,000 restaurants out of 97,500, assuming the survey sample size accurately represents the overall industry in Canada.

To understand the long-term effects of government-mandated restrictions and shutdowns, one has only to digest another startling statistic: Restaurants operating in the red aren’t expecting to return to profitability for a minimum of 12 months.

Under optimal conditions, the average Canadian restaurant operates on razor-thin margins. Per Restaurants Canada, restaurants keep just five percent of every $10 in sales on average, or 50 cents. The industry is Canada’s fourth-largest employer (it’s number five in the United States, for comparison), accounting for 1.2 million jobs, 58 percent of which are held by women. Over thirty percent of owners, operators and staff belong to a visible minority, further illustrating how important restaurants are to diversity and the economy; half of all restaurants in Canada are operated by immigrants. Just like in the America, restaurants are the first employer for most Canadians.

The industry is crucial to Canada, but this vital resource is under serious threat. One of those threats comes from lawmakers whose restrictions are making it much more difficult for operators to wring any profits out already miniscule margins. Much like the situation afflicting the industry in the United States, the situation is going to get worse in short order without government relief.

Restrictions are simply nails in coffins unless they’re accompanied by relief.

“Our members are seeking a new year’s resolution from government, not only to support their survival but our industry’s vital role building back a stronger, more resilient Canada,” said  Todd Barclay, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada. “Restaurants Canada is calling for a national working group to pave the way for the foodservice sector’s revival, building on the commitment in the federal government’s 2020 Fall Economic Statement to provide targeted, sector-specific support to restaurants and other hardest hit businesses.”

That national working group, according to Restaurants Canada, should focus on providing businesses being affected by government-mandated restrictions with “sufficient, efficient and effective aid”; developing campaigns that make it clear to Canadians that restaurants are capable of safely and reliably providing safe meals; promoting delivery and takeout as a viable way for the public to support restaurants; connecting with operators to understand the industry’s needs and pain points to ensure they’re in as strong a position as possible when entering the post-pandemic economy.

The next six months are crucial to the survival of Canadian restaurants. If things don’t improve, should the government not address the industry’s situation and provide relief, 48 percent of single-unit operators surveyed by Restaurants Canada indicated they expect to close within six months. That number jumps to 56 percent for multi-unit operators, who expect to close at least one of their locations (also within six months).

Restaurants Canada is asking for anyone who supports the formation of a dedicated national working group to contact their Member of Parliament via this link.

Photo by Marcus Urbenz on Unsplash

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