National poll: 50 percent of restaurants may fail if they don’t get relief funds

The omicron variant has had a devastating impact on the dining industry, especially restaurants passed over last year by the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) reports.

In a Zoom news conference on Monday, the NRA announced that a poll of U.S. restaurateurs found that almost half that didn’t get RRF funding in 2021 say they likely won’t survive unless the fund is replenished. This could result in the loss of 1.6 million jobs nationwide, NRA spokesman Sean Kennedy said.

“The Restaurant Revitalization Fund has been a critical lifeline for so many but far more remain on the sidelines,” said Kennedy. “Omicron definitely has had a negative impact on restaurant operations. Effectively, the restaurant recovery continues to move in reverse.”