The National Restaurant Association Wednesday asked President Donald Trump and Congress to take steps to provide the restaurant industry relief.
The letter outlined the projected economic impacts of at least $225 billion during the next three months, with job losses of 5-7 million jobs, stemming from COVID-19.
The letter outlined a dozen steps, including three separate categories of protection for industry restaurants and employees, including directed/targeted financial relief, loans/insurance options for impacted small businesses, and tax measures.
Sean Kennedy, National Restaurant Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, says, “We are revising our business model to provide meals in different ways, takeout, delivery, safety-enhanced dine-in, but we are facing economic headwinds that will lead many restaurants to shut down operations, lay off workers, and end service in our communities.”
Kennedy adds, the proposals in the letter, “ensure that restaurants have increased liquidity and access to necessary financing to help the industry and its employees recover.”