[Maryland's] Eastern Shore restaurants: “75% capacity increase doesn’t help us”

WMDT Salisbury, MD ^ | 9/21/20 | Taylor Lumpkin

[Ron H.]

The best restaurant in my (Md) town has already announced bankruptcy. Makes me sick.

Mine here in Texas went under a week after Abbott shut down the restaurants again back from the 75% level they were at back in about April back to 50% again. About half of them in my area have closed up shop for good now and the rest are struggling very hard to keep their doors open.

[Ron H.]

Not everyone wants to go back to eating out

There is a pinch of truth there for sure. IMHO the restaurant industry was way overdue for a shake out as it has grown exponentially in the past few years with no let up in sight. I strongly suspected a shaking out was coming but just not quite like this and this severe in so short of a span. Maybe some folks can work on getting their bulging waistlines a bit more under control at last. I know mine needs it.

[Ron H.]

To me it seems all the cooties are already in place and doing everything you are afraid of, mask or no mask.

So very true. Masks do not help. They are just a sign of willful and ignorant compliance.

[Ron H.]

I’ve gone out to eat three times this month, it seems that food and service quality have gone down since this covid stuff started.

And the other thing I've noticed in the restaurants still operating today in my neck of the woods menu prices are creeping upwards. I've noticed about 3% to 8% on average with a few in the 20% to 35% range for select items. Waiters telling me owners are struggling with increasing menu prices but if they don't they're just going to shut down for good. They're caught in the middle here. They can't survive on the current set off numbers.