Restaurants around the nation are finding it harder and harder to weather the pandemic as a new slate of curfews and closures on top of no additional government relief push them into an even deeper financial hole.
In recent weeks, governors around the country have implemented curfews and mandated that bars and restaurants shutter dine-in operations by 10 p.m. local time in order to stem the now surging pandemic that has shown no signs of slowing down before the holiday season.
Restaurant owners, however, fear that the latest round of restrictions poses a threat to their businesses, even those within the country's most bustling cities.
NY RESTAURANT GROUPS SLAM GOV. CUOMO COVID-19 CURFEW: 'A HUGE BLOW'
"We have fought for this business and will continue to fight for this business," McClellan’s Pub in Colombus, Ohio wrote on Facebook just before Gov. Mike DeWine announced a statewide curfew.
Ohio's curfew, enacted Thursday, forces businesses to close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the next three weeks.
“As COVID-19 continues to spread in Ohio, we need a stronger response to minimize the impact on Ohio’s healthcare and hospital capacity and ensure healthcare is available to those that need it,” said Gov. DeWine. DeWine said the latest restriction will "minimize the spread of the virus while minimizing the economic impact of a complete shutdown.”
However, thousands of restaurant owners argue they are suffering as a result.
McClellan’s Pub is among thousands that had signed a petition dubbed "#WeCantClose" to urge DeWine not to close restaurants and bars again. The campaign -- established by a group of owners and operators in the service industry -- has already notched over 6,000 signatures.
"Too many of us are suffering with continued shutdowns," the pub wrote.
TEXAS RESTAURANTS WILL NOT SURVIVE WINTER IF SECOND SHUTDOWN HAPPENS, INDUSTRY LEADER WARNS
The owner of bar Sluggers in Chicago, Zach Stauss, told WBBM-TV that although the measure is vital in keeping "everyone safe and healthy so there is a 2021" it is still hitting his business hard.
“It’s about 80% of our business from 9:30 p.m. and 1 in the morning, so it’s really, really killing us,” Stauss said. “It hurts.”
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a similar monthlong curfew for counties that are seeing the highest rates of positive cases and hospitalizations.
David Mulvehill, owner of O'Flaherty's Irish Pub in San Jose, told KGO that the curfew hits them right at their "prime time" which is between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. on a Friday and Saturday. Now, Mulvehill says the last call for drinks is 9 p.m.