American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
(On in four US restaurants may not reopen)
And that’s more bad news for a brewing industry that needs them to survive.
Here’s the deal…
Due to non-essential business closures and state’s mandating that it’s residents stay home, approximately 25 percent of U.S. restaurants won’t reopen their doors after the coronavirus lockdowns are finally lifted, Steve Hafner, the chief executive officer of Booking Holdings’ OpenTable and Kayak, told Bloomberg.
Upon surveying almost 20,000 restaurants for online and phone reservations and walk-in customers, the influential reservation service platform, found that the total amount of walk-in diners and reservations were down by 95 percent on May 14 when comparing year-over-year data.
(Gone, Baby, Gone)
Offering a glimmer of hope for the industry, Open Table did find that diners have started to eat out again in Arizona, Texas and Florida, where the lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, with Florida showing the highest number of diners returning to restaurants.
Restaurants in Indiana and Tennessee are currently allowed to operate at 50% capacity. But just as in the craft beer industry, restaurant profit margins can be notoriously tight and understandably some have chosen not to reopen using this model.
That data comes from analysis of 60,000 restaurants across the United States and what it means for the beer industry is not good.
Fewer restaurants means fewer places for breweries and distributors to sell their wares…but that’s just the beginning according to OpenTable‘s Steve Hafner….
Restaurants are complicated beasts. You have to order food and supplies. You have to make sure you’ve prepped the kitchen and service areas to be easily disinfected.”
According to the Drinks Business, OpenTable has waived fees and subscription costs for the restaurants on its platform and has opened up use of the site to bars and wineries that need to comply with capacity controls and social distancing rules.
The National Restaurant Association says some $30 billion was lost by its members in March, and $50 billion in April.
Tough times…
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