That headline might come across as hyperbole, but it’s true. If you don’t believe me, just read this.
That was a Facebook post on Monday (12/07/20) from Noah Mock, owner at Nite Owl, a wonderful Omaha destination with fantastic cocktails and some of the best wings in the city. It’s a beloved institution.
And yet the owner felt threatened enough to shed light on the current status of restaurants. That should tell you something.
COVID-19 is a monster that has ravaged small businesses. As a pack of locusts envelop a field and leave only dead crops, so does the pandemic threaten local businesses.
1/3 of small businesses were already operating at a loss or just breaking even prior to COVID’s arrival, and things have only gotten worse as people have gone out less or sought out the cheaper prices of big box stores and chain restaurants. It’s estimated that the impact of COVID-19 could be $64,000 per business, and some will lose more.
While my heart breaks for all small businesses, I have a particular love for local restaurants. And the projected numbers aren’t pretty:
- The restaurant industry expects to lose up to $240 billion by the end of 2020.
- 56% of restaurants have at least $50,000 in new debt as a result of COVID-19.
- In America, seated diners are down 50% since this time last year.
We have to face reality—COVID-19 will take many of our favorite local restaurants down with it. Several Omaha gems, such as Forno, Dundee Dell, and Baela Rose, have already fallen victim. And the noose will only tighten as the temperatures drop and patio dining becomes untenable in the cold Nebraska winters.
Omaha has an incredible restaurant scene. I don’t want to lose it. And yet, much as it rips me apart to say, I know more pain is coming.
I shared Noah’s post on social media and got several private replies from chefs and restauranteurs informing me that the situation may be even more dire than what Noah presented. Those opinions are consistent with in-person conversations I’ve had over the past few months—your favorite local restaurant may be a month away from taking on too much water and capsizing.
Take a moment and really think about that.
I picked up takeout from a restaurant recently that’s widely recognized as one of the best pasta restaurants in Omaha. My wife and I both cherished every bite of our meals, and I’d recommend this restaurant to anyone in a heartbeat.
There was one diner present during the 10 minutes I paid and waited for my order. No other to-go orders were being processed. A gem of a restaurant lay vacant, hand-rolling incredible pasta for orders that may never materialize.
It honestly breaks my heart.
I need to be honest—I don’t and never have worked in the restaurant industry. I don’t really know the pain these people are going through, the uncertain reality they face. To pretend I know the full reality of their situation would be hypocritical.
But what I know is really rough. There are well-known restaurants, ones you think are thriving, that are bleeding.
That’s a tough reality to accept. I think we view restaurants as these immortal landmarks; they’ve been an integral part of our lives for so long, we can’t truly imagine a world without them.
But COVID has upended reality, and even the most popular joints could now be staring extinction in the eye.
They’ve always been there for you. Now they need you.
Again, this is an outsider’s view. Maybe I’m wrong and the situation isn’t as bad as it seems. I would never be happier to admit my mistake.
But just in case I’m not, I’m going to go out of my way, more than ever before, to support my favorites. Takeout meals, merchandise, gift cards, larger tips; all of these things help, even if just a little bit, and push your favorite restaurant forward to fight another day.
Think about it this way: in a year, do you want to be brainstorming where to eat with friends and family and think, “Hey, remember ___? So sad that place closed. That’s where I wish we could go tonight.”
Do whatever you can to make sure that scenario doesn’t become a reality.