Cold weather means new challenges for struggling restaurants

samantha-distefano

Mama Fox owner Samantha DiStefano installs electric tea lights in preparation for indoor dining at her bar and restaurant, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, in New York. Some lights were dead because they haven't been used in six months when Mama Fox closed during the viral pandemic. New York restaurants may reopen for indoor dining on Wednesday, but with capacity restricted to 25%. "It's baby steps. The 25% gives you the opportunity to dip your toe in," DiStefano said. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

samantha-distefano

U.S. restaurants are moving warily into fall, hoping their slow recovery persists despite the new challenge of chilly weather and a pandemic that’s expected to claim even more lives. New York opens indoor dining on Wednesday, restricting capacity to 25%. San Francisco may do the same as early as this week. Chicago is raising its indoor capacity from 25% to 40% on Thursday. The National Restaurant Association says nearly 100,000 U.S. restaurants have shut their doors since the pandemic began. Employment rose in the last four months, but there are still 2.5 million fewer restaurant workers than there were in February. restaurants are moving warily into fall, hoping their slow recovery persists despite the new challenge of chilly weather and a pandemic that’s expected to claim even more lives. New York opens indoor dining on Wednesday, restricting capacity to 25%. San Francisco may do the same as early as this week. Chicago is raising its indoor capacity from 25% to 40% on Thursday. The National Restaurant Association says nearly 100,000 U.S. restaurants have shut their doors since the pandemic began. Employment rose in the last four months, but there are still 2.5 million fewer restaurant workers than there were in February.