Restaurant Business: Hungering for Normalcy Lean times for restaurants across state, country By Lou Sorendo
R
estaurants may be among the first permanent victims of COVID-19. As new cases of coronavirus infections surge across the country, many restaurants have reportedly been forced to take dining services outside. However, new bans on outdoor dining as well as cold weather have forced some of them to permanently close altogether. Other restaurants may not survive the next few months, according to food
28
service experts. One in six restaurants open in March will have closed for good by year’s end, according to a survey by the National Restaurant Association. That same report shows nearly 3 million employees are still out of work, and the industry is projected to lose $240 billion in sales by the close of 2020. Without a comprehensive relief package specifically for restaurants, OSWEGO COUNTY BUSINESS
63.6% of New York restaurants said they are likely to close by the end of the year, according to the most recent survey from the New York State Restaurant Association. Nick Canale, owner of Canale’s Restaurant in Oswego, said recently his establishment will not be in a situation where it is forced to close. However, “if we don’t get some help to get through the winter, we will be laying off a significant portion of our workforce,” he said. Normally, staff numbers around 75 at his restaurant, but workers now number in the mid-60s, he said. “We’re trying to keep as many people on as we can right now,” said Canale, noting he is reluctant to lay off workers right before the holidays. Regardless of government-mandated COVID-19-related restrictions on dining out, Canale said he is not seeing a lot of dining business anyways. “It’s primarily takeout and delivery,” he said. Based on projections on the pandemic, Canale said it is going to be a challenging winter. The restaurant offers curbside pickDECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
