There is no doubt that the restaurant industry is amongst the hardest hit industries due to COVID. These are crazy times, and going into the 9th month of restricted gatherings and operations, restaurants are struggling. Founded on conviviality and people getting together to share a meal or drink, restaurants support everything that COVID is preventing.
In fact, "The restaurant industry expects to lose up to $240 billion by the end of 2020" (National Restaurant Association). Additionally, "over 71% of restaurants had a profit margin under 10% in 2019" (Independent Restaurant Coalition). Given these horrifying statistics, it is evident that many restaurants are being forced to shut.