Posted on 09/21/2020 6:09:02 PM PDT by foreverfree
SALISBURY, Md. The impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on restaurants here on the Eastern Shore has been like no other.
Were about 50% down for the year, were also at 50% less employees than we had when we closed in March, said Market Street Inn owner, Rob Mulford.
And with Governor Larry Hogans recent announcement that restaurants in the state can up their indoor capacity from 50 to 75%, youd think business owners would be excited. But when they learned of the change, this was more of their reaction:
75% capacity means absolutely zero, said Mulford.
Mine here in Texas went under a week after Abbott shut down the restaurants again back from the 75% level they were at back in about April back to 50% again. About half of them in my area have closed up shop for good now and the rest are struggling very hard to keep their doors open.
There is a pinch of truth there for sure. IMHO the restaurant industry was way overdue for a shake out as it has grown exponentially in the past few years with no let up in sight. I strongly suspected a shaking out was coming but just not quite like this and this severe in so short of a span. Maybe some folks can work on getting their bulging waistlines a bit more under control at last. I know mine needs it.
So very true. Masks do not help. They are just a sign of willful and ignorant compliance.
And the other thing I've noticed in the restaurants still operating today in my neck of the woods menu prices are creeping upwards. I've noticed about 3% to 8% on average with a few in the 20% to 35% range for select items. Waiters telling me owners are struggling with increasing menu prices but if they don't they're just going to shut down for good. They're caught in the middle here. They can't survive on the current set off numbers.
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