16,000 restaurants have permanently closed in the US in the last 4 months

[CitizenVectron]

According to Yelp data

 

[Keyser_Soze]

It's a good time to have a drive thru

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Nothing we could have done to prevent this!

[Jason]

Makes sense to try to force people into going back to work while letting all the employers go under!

[Joe]

The number is even higher than that. I know places in my neighborhood that have closed, but Yelp still lists them as open.

[Guest]

I was going to say, that’s a low figure from what I’m seeing locally. And the bottom has not been reached.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

Yep, this really worried me for the single restaurant, mom&pop style places. Many of the chains will be fine for a bit, but I knew once we went on lockdown that many places were going to close and never be able to reopen. 
 

maybe some will be able to get a new loan after all this has finally gone back to normal and then can sign a new lease for the same property. Maybe. 

[Jason]

15 minutes ago, Jose said:

The number is even higher than that. I know places in my neighborhood that have closed, but Yelp still lists them as open.

 

3 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

I was going to say, that’s a low figure from what I’m seeing locally. And the bottom has not been reached.

 

I know in Los Angeles, a lot of places got screwed by preparing to reopen just to promptly get shut back down.

 

Quote

At 4 p.m., we close our dining room. After a month of planning, it was open for five hours. We’re back to where we were before May 29, but now with less funds, too much inventory, and the dashed hopes of 45 people.

https://www.eater.com/2020/7/21/21331745/guerrilla-tacos-la-restaurant-coronavirus-california-reopening-shutdown-covid-19

 

In NY, they've been pulling shit like making restaurants sink tons of their own money into outdoor seating and then harassing them over minor things like the seating being 6" too close to the sidewalk.

[Joe]

In semi-relevant news, my uncle and cousins' restaurant made the Daily Mail:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8559647/West-Village-restaurant-wins-battle-CitiBike-outdoor-seating-following-campaign.html

[Jason]

16 minutes ago, Jose said:

In semi-relevant news, my uncle and cousins' restaurant made the Daily Mail:

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8559647/West-Village-restaurant-wins-battle-CitiBike-outdoor-seating-following-campaign.html

 

The obvious solution, if BdB was not so reflexively pro-car, was to just move it across the street at the expense of a couple of those parking spots.

[Joe]

4 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

The obvious solution, if BdB was not so reflexively pro-car, was to just move it across the street at the expense of a couple of those parking spots.

 

Yeah I'm in shock that they were just like "fuck it" and removed the bikes without placing them somewhere else.

[Guest]

One of the issues you’re going to see lead to a LOT of permanent closures is that even outside of traditional powerhouse markets like NYC and LA, the high end food scene has exploded in the last 15 years. There a ton of regional restaurant groups that a waaaaay over leveraged as they went out and opened new concepts too quickly. They simply have no runway to keep operating at 30-50% of the revenue they had been. There are actually a lot of single location restaurants that will be in better shape to hold on for a recovery than those.

[DarkStar189]

34 minutes ago, Jason said:

In NY, they've been pulling shit like making restaurants sink tons of their own money into outdoor seating and then harassing them over minor things like the seating being 6" too close to the sidewalk.

I've driven by a lot of restaurants in my area with the temporary outdoor seating. Feel so bad for them. I can't imagine what some of these set ups cost that I've seen. Plus it's been 90-100 degrees outside for almost the last 2 weeks. The last place I want to be eating is outside. 

[Ghost_MH]

11 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

One of the issues you’re going to see lead to a LOT of permanent closures is that even outside of traditional powerhouse markets like NYC and LA, the high end food scene has exploded in the last 15 years. There a ton of regional restaurant groups that a waaaaay over leveraged as they went out and opened new concepts too quickly. They simply have no runway to keep operating at 30-50% of the revenue they had been. There are actually a lot of single location restaurants that will be in better shape to hold on for a recovery than those.

 

A lot of those sunk costs come down to real estate and employees. Both of which could have easily been alleviated by the fed if they weren't afraid some "undeserving" folks would also real some of the benefits.

 

I can't help but feel, based on nothing but my gut, that rent and mortgage moratoriums were a nonstarter because Trump was worried about a loss of income at his properties.

[Jason]

7 minutes ago, Ghost_MH said:

A lot of those sunk costs come down to real estate and employees. Both of which could have easily been alleviated by the fed if they weren't afraid some "undeserving" folks would also real some of the benefits.

 

A lot of places were apparently more profitable while just doing takeout and delivery since they were able to operate with just their kitchens and a couple of front of house people to answer the phone and hand over orders...but then collectively got screwed by the reopening rush because they felt like they couldn't risk losing out over their competitors having their dining rooms open while they didn't.

[Joe]

In NYC, most places rely on their liquor licenses to make money, so it's hard to imagine how they could be even close to profitable by doing just takeout and delivery. In NJ, it's a totally different story because many places don't have liquor licenses. I could see the sushi place I used to work at still being profitable running the skeleton crew they have. 

[Jason]

2 minutes ago, Jose said:

In NYC, most places rely on their liquor licenses to make money, so it's hard to imagine how they could be even close to profitable by doing just takeout and delivery. In NJ, it's a totally different story because many places don't have liquor licenses. I could see the sushi place I used to work at still being profitable running the skeleton crew they have. 

 

Didn't NY legalize to-go booze from restaurants as part of their COVID response?

 

And the point is that apparently a lot of places have such razor-thing margins that running a skeleton crew and keeping some lights off was helping push them into profitability. They were probably also able to get away with stocking less inventory than normal.

[Joe]

3 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

Didn't NY legalize to-go booze from restaurants as part of their COVID response?

 

And the point is that apparently a lot of places have such razor-thing margins that running a skeleton crew and keeping some lights off was helping push them into profitability. They were probably also able to get away with stocking less inventory than normal.

 

Yes, but it's nowhere as profitable to-go. I doubt many people are ordering expensive wine bottles or multiple servings as alcohols as they would if the restaurant was open.

 

I get it. I just don't see that logistically how that would be possible in a place like NYC. BOH is far more costly to a restaurant than FOH. I know many places are running bare-bone menus, but still, without selling much liquor, I don't see how it's possible to cover rent like that.

[MarSolo]

I spent $40 at one of those pop-up bars on FOUR BEERS last night. 
 

I can buy three cases of really good IPAs from the beer place at that same price. I think quarantine has ruined my “going out for drinks” mindset.

[Joe]

1 minute ago, MarSolo said:

I spent $40 at one of those pop-up bars on FOUR BEERS last night. 
 

I can buy three cases of really good IPAs from the beer place at that same price. I think quarantine has ruined my “going out for drinks” mindset.

 

Yeah it makes no sense to me. To go drinks make even less sense unless they are cocktails, but even still, easy enough to make at home

[Jason]

11 minutes ago, Jose said:

Yeah it makes no sense to me. To go drinks make even less sense unless they are cocktails, but even still, easy enough to make at home

 

Some of the restaurants around here have been running half-off specials on bottles on wine, which often gets the prices down reasonably close to liquor store/supermarket price points. Especially back in March and April, I felt a lot better about calling in the order, paying over the phone, and having it handed to me out on the sidewalk than having to go into a store to buy a bottle.

[Anathema-]

GET YO DRINK ON

[emalider]

That's terrible. Been supporting by ordering from local restaurants on postmates when I've been too lazy to cook (which has been more way too often 🤷‍♂️).

[Spork3245]

I try to support local places when I can during this. The two good things that have come out of this are curbside pick-up and contactless delivery. I hope those never go away: delivery person, just put my food on the porch, knock, and leave.

[Guest]

There have been lots of little advancements in many industries due to Covid. Doesn’t take away from the tragedy of the pandemic, but still cool to see these things that make for better experiences.

[rc0101]

Contactless delivery is amazing. Plus now our local grocery store delivers to us..I really hope that stays. 

[DarkStar189]

2 hours ago, emalider said:

That's terrible. Been supporting by ordering from local restaurants on postmates when I've been too lazy to cook (which has been more way too often 🤷‍♂️).

I want to support some more local places but I also feel like that could raise your risk of getting the virus. In the last month, 2 restaurants within walking distance of me have shut down for a week after an employee tested positive at each. I have a lot of food options near me. One night I went to Domino's for a pizza for the kids (it's their favorite) and then picked up a real pizza for me nearby. At Domino's the teen rolling dough has his nose hanging out of his mask. At the other pizza place, the cook is walking around the kitchen with his mask on his neck like a scarf. I'm better off braving the grocery store myself. 

[Joe]

30 minutes ago, DarkStar189 said:

I want to support some more local places but I also feel like that could raise your risk of getting the virus. In the last month, 2 restaurants within walking distance of me have shut down for a week after an employee tested positive at each. I have a lot of food options near me. One night I went to Domino's for a pizza for the kids (it's their favorite) and then picked up a real pizza for me nearby. At Domino's the teen rolling dough has his nose hanging out of his mask. At the other pizza place, the cook is walking around the kitchen with his mask on his neck like a scarf. I'm better off braving the grocery store myself. 

 

I assume you live somewhere with a current outbreak?

[DarkStar189]

11 minutes ago, Jose said:

 

I assume you live somewhere with a current outbreak?

I live close to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I wouldn't consider us a hot spot but cases seem to be on the rise everywhere. 

[marioandsonic]

24 minutes ago, DarkStar189 said:

I live close to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I wouldn't consider us a hot spot but cases seem to be on the rise everywhere. 

Yeah.  It's not really bad here, but who knows.  And I've seen my share of idiots too.

[Joe]

54 minutes ago, DarkStar189 said:

I live close to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I wouldn't consider us a hot spot but cases seem to be on the rise everywhere. 

 

To have two restaurants within walking distance be shut down like that seems odd. I have not see something like that happen in Northern NJ even when the outbreak was at its peak.

[chakoo]

3 hours ago, Spork3245 said:

I try to support local places when I can during this. The two good things that have come out of this are curbside pick-up and contactless delivery. I hope those never go away: delivery person, just put my food on the porch, knock, and leave.

I have to agree with curbside pickup. I end up getting two things from ikea this weekend for my wife's parents and other then a small hitch (they initially dropped off the wrong items but it was sorted quickly) this was a far better experience then trying to set foot in an ikea during the best of times. Sure it was $5 but I would gladly spend that again for this to continue. You get to go park in a designated spot for pickups (so no fighting for parking space), you call a number, someone text you back to get your order info then they drop the items off next to your car. We were in/out in less then 10 mins (would have been faster if not for the mixup).

[Spork3245]

1 hour ago, chakoo said:

I have to agree with curbside pickup. I end up getting two things from ikea this weekend for my wife's parents and other then a small hitch (they initially dropped off the wrong items but it was sorted quickly) this was a far better experience then trying to set foot in an ikea during the best of times. Sure it was $5 but I would gladly spend that again for this to continue. You get to go park in a designated spot for pickups (so no fighting for parking space), you call a number, someone text you back to get your order info then they drop the items off next to your car. We were in/out in less then 10 mins (would have been faster if not for the mixup).

Curbside, in my experience, I pop the trunk and they put the item/food right in for me.

[Keyser_Soze]

5 hours ago, Spork3245 said:

I try to support local places when I can during this. The two good things that have come out of this are curbside pick-up and contactless delivery. I hope those never go away: delivery person, just put my food on the porch, knock, and leave.

 

The worst part is you have to see a picture of the douche who's delivering your food. 😖

 

[Spork3245]

3 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

The worst part is you have to see a picture of the douche who's delivering your food. 😖

 

I don’t see/get a picture - is that like a grubhub thing? I order directly from the restaurants so they’re not getting screwed from app fees.