Many people had been hoping that summer would bring a sense of normalcy, but the restaurant industry appears to be feeling the heat similar to March of 2020.
As reservations peaked in June, they began dropping again in July, and over the weekend dropped by 14% compared to 2019.
Caroline Styne, co-founder of The Lucques Group in Los Angeles, said she’s recently lost 15-20% in revenue due to patrons feeling fearful of the more contagious variant.
Data shows that people are continuing to take greater precautions than they did in the spring, and New York City is the first city to require proof of vaccinations for restaurants, gyms and any indoor entertainment.
Other cities will likely do the same, but for now officials let private business owners decide for themselves.
Business owners are finding themselves torn, undecided on what it is they should be doing and are hopeful for more guidance in the future.
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