Nearly 16,000 restaurants have closed permanently due to the pandemic, Yelp data shows

[Tsuyu]

Volatility has been a kiss of death for thousands of restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic.

Abrupt closures, inconsistent reopenings, changes in public health guidance for operations and other state-mandated orders have pushed the food service industry to the brink.

Nearly 16,000 restaurants have closed permanently due to the pandemic, Yelp data shows

A new report by Yelp showed that 60% of restaurants that have closed amid the pandemic are closed permanently.

abcnews.go.com

"The restaurant industry now reflects the highest total business closures, recently surpassing retail," the report stated.

 

[8byte]

It's only going to get worse (in America).

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

There are some long term successful local places in my neighborhood that just don't have the capital to float it much longer. Folks who ran successful small, local businesses for 20 plus years who are about to go bankrupt and have nothing.

 

[Nemesis121]

For a lot of the 16k could have been temporary with a real president, but sadly some of these fucks who are losing their jobs, homes, and even their family members will still vote for him come November...America land of Fucking stupid..

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

It's only going to get worse (in America).

Click to shrink...

Yep. I don't know how any fine on place or bar is going to survive the winter.

 

[Mekanos]

I'm sure they'll get bailouts like the big corporations. Any day now.

 

[Man-is-Obsolete]

It's going to get soooo much worse. Trump and Republicans attempt to pretend this doesn't exist and will magically go away is costing thousands of lives a week and millions of people's livelihoods.

 

[Menx64]

Economist:

People living paycheck to paycheck = financially irresponsible.

Business living day by day sales = ?

 

[samoyed]

Even in good times, owning a food business is a huge gamble. Really sucks for the people who started their business this year.

 

[Deleted member 4367]

Economist:

People living paycheck to paycheck = financially irresponsible.

Business living day by day sales = ?

Click to shrink...

These damn restaurants not being able to absorb months and months of lost income.

 

[CountAntonio]

It's a damn shame. Although we call for a shutdown and it is the right move I feel for all the people who's livelihoods depend on a normal way of life.

 

[RedOnePunch]

It's a damn shame. Although we call for a shutdown and it is the right move I feel for all the people who's livelihoods depend on a normal way of life.

Click to shrink...

it's a shame because the entire thing was mishandled from the start.

 

[Wetwork]

I've been trying to support small businesses. But going out is expensive, and in a time where nothing is secure, I can only imagine what people who have responsibilities feel about going out

a rent freeze and proper SMALL BUSINESS LOANS not being scavenged by billion dollar industries should have been the option.

 

[Menx64]

These damn restaurants not being able to absorb months and months of lost income.

Click to shrink...

I have my own small businesses with employees still receiving their paychecks, while still only doing express.
Living in a third world country teaches you to save for the hard times. Floodings, earthquakes, hurricanes...
But thats probably not in everyone's head.

 

[Squarehard]

It was a tough business before, so this just adds on another layer of difficulty for those in the industry.

Certainly not even close to being over, but hope for the best for those that are still trying to stay afloat during these terrible times.

 

[El Bombastico]

If you thought it was bad before, wait until tomorrow when the last extended UI payments go out and most people can't afford to eat out at all anymore...

 

[Midramble]

In SF the combination of astronomical commercial lease rents and this has it compounding. Even Louis died (80 year old family run diner)

 

[gcubed]

I was a week away from starting construction on a taproom in March. Got a follow up question before approvals were to be finalized... the next week everything shut down. I pulled out of the process and am eternally thankful for whoever on the zoning commission sent that last clarification letter that delayed my SBA loan signing by 2 weeks.

 

[rokkerkory]

This is so sad to hear. I feel for the owners and workers.

zero damn leadership in white house for this

 

[GoldenEye 007]

These damn restaurants not being able to absorb months and months of lost income.

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I think the idea with that is business are given more sympathy for that versus individuals. When individuals should get just as much if not more sympathy and support for the clear level of financial issues in this country.

 

[WedgeX]

We had development company landlords here in DC demanding full rent from restaurants the last few months. Had some staples of the neighborhood - like those frequented by members of Congress - go under. Who do landlords think are going replace those and make money?

 

[SapientWolf]

Restaurant margins are razor thin. They're always the first thing to go in an economic downturn, which is being further exacerbated by the restrictions on indoor dining. I think the situation will get much worse without more rescue funding.

 

[FTF]

That really sucks and it's sad it's going to get worse.

 

[gully state]

While I applaud SF for not reopenning, it's really disheartening walking around the neighborhood and seeing one in every 3 stores shut down permanently

 

[MopDog]

For a lot of the 16k could have been temporary with a real president, but sadly some of these fucks who are losing their jobs, homes, and even their family members will still vote for him come November...America land of Fucking stupid..

Click to shrink...

Genuinely impressed by your ability to deftly weave victim blaming into your commentary.

 

[PlateOfShrimp]

Really sad and we're not even that far olinto this in terms of damage being done let alone rebuilding. It's hard to imagine the full impact of the pandemic.

 

[Deleted member 4367]

I think the idea with that is business are given more sympathy for that versus individuals. When individuals should get just as much if not more sympathy and support for the clear level of financial issues in this country.

Click to shrink...

It's a bullshit talking point that focuses on the wrong things. Small businesses failing isn't good for anybody, including those living paycheck to paycheck who work at these businesses. Blaming small businesses for not having months and months of operating capital saved as some sort of stupid ass gotcha on how conservatives paint the working poor is worthless.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

I can't believe that none of our favorite local places have closed yet. Only a matter of time.

 

[Wolf]

Cancel mortgages, leases and evictions during this pandemic. The amount of amazing places that we're going to lose is heartbreaking.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

It's a bullshit talking point that focuses on the wrong things. Small businesses failing isn't good for anybody, including those living paycheck to paycheck who work at these businesses. Blaming small businesses for not having months and months of operating capital saved as some sort of stupid ass gotcha on how conservatives paint the working poor is worthless.

Click to shrink...

Never said it was good. Nor is there blame there. And yes small businesses are critical to the economy and people.

I simply said that certain people don't extend that sympathy to those businesses and look down on individuals more. The blame starts immediately for individuals. "Why didn't you save?" "Why did you not foresee some random event and have prepared for it?"

So the right course of action would take the attitudes towards businesses and apply it to individuals. Might result in more competent and strong safety nets and sympathy towards individuals instead of the shitshow we're walking into now with the US Senate dicking around.

 

[Illusion]

I'm lucky that my favorite restaurants all remain open and super busy at all hours. All local.

 

[Deleted member 4367]

Never said it was good. Nor is there blame there. And yes small businesses are critical to the economy and people.

I simply said that certain people don't extend that sympathy to those businesses and look down on individuals more. The blame starts immediately for individuals. "Why didn't you save?" "Why did you not foresee some random event and have prepared for it?"

So the right course of action would take the attitudes towards businesses and apply it to individuals. Might result in more competent and strong safety nets and sympathy towards individuals instead of the shitshow we're walking into now with the US Senate dicking around.

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But we aren't seeing those attitudes towards small businesses either. We are seeing it towards large businesses. The ones who have actual sway in this country. It is trying to paint small businesses as something far more powerful than they are.

 

[y2kyle89]

The Spike's Junkyard Dogs near me closed. I know it's not a local mom and pop shop but I really liked Spike's and it being a half hour (plus with traffic) from me with no option to deliver makes this nightmarish existence we're all living in just that slightly more nightmarish.

I'm gonna lie down for a minute...

 

[Deleted member 16657]

I'm sure glad that we killed all the local cornerstones that built our communities for... rent and mortgages

 

[GoldenEye 007]

But we aren't seeing those attitudes towards small businesses either. We are seeing it towards large businesses. The ones who have actual sway in this country. It is trying to paint small businesses as something far more powerful than they are.

Click to shrink...

In general, I don't usually see as much vitriol towards failing businesses as I do towards failing households. Or households in general that have been left behind.

But yes, I'd agree the US government has failed once again in supporting smaller businesses and individuals in favor of large corporations.

 

[colorblindmode]

There's a dinner about a half a mile from my home that closed due to covid. It honestly was one of the best hole in the wall breakfast places I've eaten at. They would come in at like 3am and make a whole bunch of biscuit batter and would have these really hot, fresh biscuits

 

[Saucycarpdog]

Profit margins in the restaurant industry were already thin before this pandemic. It's gonna get worse.

 

[Professor RAWR]

Not a surprise and it's gonna get worse....

I used to work in the restaurant industry for nearly 3 years. My job shut down in March. We reopened in June, but my guts was telling me to move due to how shitty the industry is getting and it's gonna get worse. So I left after just 6 hours of working and resigned. I didn't even get paid.... lol. Yet, still got my unemployment benefits.

 

[entremet]

Even in good times, owning a food business is a huge gamble. Really sucks for the people who started their business this year.

Click to shrink...

Restaurants also employ a lot in the most vulnerable populations. The ripple effects are gonna hurt.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

The establishment I work at has actually benefitted from this nightmare, mainly because they're carryout/delivery only.

Still, I expect the other shoe to drop before long. Florida is a complete mess.

 

[PRBoricua23]

Imagine if the businesses that need the SBL actually got the money they needed, instead of giving it away to corporations and churches who were already worth billions. Imagine if we didn't spend billions bailing out the airline industry, imagine if we had been getting some sort of steady income due to this pandemic instead of a one-time payment of 1,200 which occurred when ... in April? May?

Imagine.

 

[Nude_Tayne]

This is one of the very most depressing things about the pandemic, outside of actual victims. So many local businesses I love will likely be gone forever, and that's lost jobs too. But of course, the giant chains will mostly survive this. And the power consolidates further in the giant corporations...

 

[PanzerKraken]

Its so sad

 

[EddyLovesTunaRolls]

A small humble local chinese restaurant that made their food freshly and tasted like no other chinese food I've ever eaten has been doing better than they've done in 18 years because when every other restaurant closed during the early months of the pandemic, they were open for carryout and delivery.

Meanwhile the East Asian Gourmet Buffet that recently opened up the last 3 years was permanently closed down. I loved this place and would get takeout from here 2 or 3 times a week. This place was always packed and getting delivery orders.

 

[LegendofJoe]

My favorite local brew pub and pizzeria both closed down. The later might open back up down the road, but the brew pub is gone for good.

 

[Curler]

Here's some more "fun" graphs with who is getting hit the hardest by state/city:

SF, Oakland, Hayward faced more than 300 permanent restaurant closures since March, study finds

As restaurants continue to hold on by a thread, a new report that’s looked at business...

www.sfgate.com

 

[eyeball_kid]

What's maybe even worse is live music venues, since they can't do takeout or grocery deliveries or anything to bring money in. We've already lost venerable clubs that are part of music history. That is a huge cultural loss and without specific financial help most others will close permanently by the time we are able to allow packed crowds of people in them again.

There is an bill on the table to help give relief to music venues though, so please support this if you care about local clubs. https://www.saveourstages.com

 

[Therion]

Not at all surprising considering how volatile the restaurant industry is at the best of times.

 

[carda114]

Not even just local businesses are affected by this. In Western New York, all 17 Pizza Hut locations have closed permanently, because the franchisee refuses to open them up. So until another franchisee comes in to operate things (which seems unlikely), all of those locations and their employees are done. And I live in a somewhat more economically depressed area, so closures of any kind tend to be significant.

 

[Daingurse]

Federal government should have stepped up to prevent these kinds of business closures, instead of prioritizing bailouts for mult-billion dollar corporations. But of course we got the fucking idiot in chief "leading", and shit's only going to get worse . . .