Sponsored By

Restaurant closures: 7 restaurants that have permanently closed because of coronavirus

From New York City to Dallas to Minneapolis, restaurants struggle to face the financial burden of takeout-only, reduced capacity

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

May 13, 2020

7 Slides
The-Irish-Cottage-Google-Maps.jpg
Google Maps

In the two months since coronavirus caused mass dining room closures, restaurants have closed, applied for government loans, tried to stay afloat with takeout only or switched to wholesale grocer.

For some it’s worked and for others, it hasn’t.

The following seven restaurants won’t be returning when coronavirus restrictions lift in the future.

All of these restaurants shuttered in states before restrictions were lifted. Some states, including Texas and Georgia, have already re-opened dining rooms with restrictions. But, as some of the following restaurateurs stated in their closure notices, operating a successful business at 25% capacity for the foreseeable future is not a viable option for everyone.

With the coronavirus stimulus bill, many out-of-work restaurant employees are making more money on unemployment than they did at restaurants. Some in states like California and New York are making $1,000 or more a week without a job.

The National Restaurant Association recently found that restaurant employment is at its lowest level since the 1980s. This is an industry that, as recently as six months ago, was suffering a labor shortage.

With all these factors, many operators have decided that reopening their restaurant isn’t worth the financial risk. Even rent reductions couldn’t save some of these restaurants from the ultimate financial burden.

Related:5 more notable restaurants that have permanently closed as a result of coronavirus

This is our third edition of restaurant closures since the coronavirus pandemic closed dine-in operations two months ago. This roundup includes everything from a New York City egg cream institution to Wolfgang Puck’s Texas venture.

Contact Holly at [email protected]

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.

You May Also Like