Nearly 70% of All New York Restaurants May Close Due to Pandemic

Almost two-thirds of all restaurants across New York State will likely close by the end of 2020, without help.

Without a comprehensive relief package specifically for restaurants, 63.6 percent of New York restaurants said they are likely to close by the end of the year, according to a recent poll of restaurants across New York State.

During the last week of August, the New York State Restaurant Association surveyed 1,042 restaurateurs from across the state. Of those restaurants, nearly two-thirds said they will likely close by the end of 2020 without government financial support.

“It is painfully clear that without financial assistance, the restaurant industry in New York State could collapse,” President & CEO of NYSRA Melissa Fleischut said in a press release. “These recent survey results illustrate just how dire the financial situation has become for most restaurants, and it shows how critical it is that elected officials understand the urgency of the situation.”

The survey found that the New York State restaurant industry is struggling to exist without some form of state or federal financial help, officials say.

According to the NYSRA here is a full summary of the survey’s findings:

• 63.6% of restaurants said they are likely or somewhat likely to close by the end of the year without some form of financial relief; just 36.4% said they are likely or somewhat likely to remain open.
• Of those who are likely to close, 54.8% will be forced to shut their doors before November.

In August, an NYSRA study found that 89.7 percent of New York’s restaurant owners said it is very or somewhat unlikely that their business will turn a profit in the next six months.

“Governor Cuomo’s leadership during these difficult times on issues such as alcohol-togo and outdoor dining has provided a lifeline for our members in the past few months. But it’s not enough. We are now asking the Governor, the state Legislature and those at the federal level to simply help us survive. Without further assistance, the restaurant industry as we know it could be gone in a New York minute,” added Fleischut.