Restaurants have had an extraordinarily difficult time with this pandemic. First having to shut down completely, then being able to have their product delivered or picked up only.
Then being allowed to only have outdoor eating, then allowing at most if possible 20% of capacity indoors.
This may work for now, but what about February in Chicago. Who wants to eat outdoors in snow and 8-degree weather, other than Boy Scouts?
Restaurants typically work on pretty slim margins to begin with, their rents are usually high, since they are in prime locations. They can limit the menu, work with a skeleton staff. But rent and utilities are going to be roughly the same.
Not being able to work to their capacity is hurting them financially, the long term effects of this will be very few restaurants open, beyond fast food who typically does most of their business through the drive-thru’s.
I am curious to see who will survive, and for how long. The pandemic is far from over