NYS restaurants warn many restaurants will close by the end of 2020 if no help is given

NYS restaurants warn many restaurants will close by the end of 2020 if no help is given

IT'S BEING CALLED ADIRE SITUATION.THE NEW YORK STATERESTAURANTASSOCIATION SAYS ASMANY AS TWO-THIRDSOF RESTAURANTSCOULD BE FORCED TOCLOSE BY THE END OFTHE YEAR... IF THEYDO NOT GET HELPFROM THEGOVERNMENT.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER ED REILLYHAS THE STORY.WHAT HAS IT BEENLIKE TRYING TO RUN ARESTAURANT DURINGTHE PANDEMIC?

OHH.EVERY WEEK HASBEEN A NEWCHALLENGETHE COMFORT ZONECAFE IN THE VILLAGEOF HAMBURG HASBEEN IN OPERATIONFOR 23 YEARS.BEFORE THEPANDEMIC .

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THEFAMILY OWNEDBUSINESS COULDSEAT 75 CUSTOMERS.BUT NOW THATRESTAURANTCAPACITY ISRESTRICTED BY NYSRULES - SEATS HAVEBEEN BLOCKED ANDTABLES MADEUNAVAILABLE .

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ANDTHE COMFORT ZONEIS ONLY ALLOWED TOSEAT 25 PEOPLE.WE HAVE DEFINITELYHAD CHALLENGESWITH BEING ABLE TOSEAT PEOPLE ANDTURN TABLESTHE CAFE IS TRYINGTO OFFER OUTDOORDINING .

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BUT THEFEW CHAIRS ANDTABLE ON A FRONTSIDEWALK HAVE NOCOVER TO PROTECTFROM BAD WEATHER.AS IT GETS COLDERAND IT GETS RAINIER,IT WILL BECOME ABIGGER CHALLENGE IFWE ARE NOT ABLE TOSEAT MORE PEOPLEINSIDE FOR SURETHIS SMALLRESTAURANT ISTRYING TO MAKE ENDSMEET WITH CURBSIDEPICKUP - WHILEHOPING CUSTOMERSWILL BECOME MORECOMFORTABLE USINGINDOOR DINING.NO MATTER HOWGRITTY MY MOTHER IS,WE WOULD NOT HAVEMADE IT THROUGHTHIS WITHOUT A COREOF GREATCUSTOMERSA SURVEY BY THE NEWYORK STATERESTAURANTASSOCIATION FINDSTHE $50 BILLIONDOLLAR INDUSTRY ISIN A DESPERATESITUATION .

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ASNEARLY 64% OFSURVEYEDRESTAURANTS SAYTHEY ARE LIKELY TOCLOSE BY THE END OFTHE YEAR.54.8% SAID THEYWOULD BE FORCED TOSHUT DOWN BYNOVEMBER IF THEYDON'T GETADDITIONAL FEDERALFUNDINGMANY RESTAURANTSARE FINDING THATTHEIR BUSINESSINTERRUPTIONINSURANCE WILL NOTPAY CLAIMS.WHAT WE ARE SEEINGIS ALL THE CLAIMS AREBEING DENIEDAS A RESULT .

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THEASSOCIATION ISPUSHING FORFEDERAL GRANTMONEY TO HELPRESTAURANTSSURVIVE.SO THE NEED IS VERYURGENT RIGHT NOWIT IS ALSO WARNINGTHAT INDOOR DININGRESTRICTIONS NEEDTO CHANGE FOR THECOLD WEATHERMONTHS.JUST KNOWING THATGOING FORWARD ISVERY SCARY FOR ALOT OF THERESTAURANT OWNERSBECAUSE AT 50%CAPACITY, THERE ISNO WAY FOR YOU TOMAKE UP THE SALESTO COVER YOUREXPENSESEVERY DAY I COME INWITH MY HOPES THATTHINGS ARE GOING TOCHANGE.JOBS ARE ANOTHERBIG CONCERN.BEFORE THEPANDEMIC, THE NEWYORK RESTAURANTINDUSTRY HAD 660,000JOBS.

AFTER THEVIRUS HIT, THATNUMBER HAS FALLENTO UNDER 300,000.

INDOWNTOWN BUFFALO,ED REILLY 7 EW