Texas Restaurants Fear a Bleak Winter

The national restaurant industry’s recovery has reversed, putting businesses, large and small, in a precarious position heading into winter. According to a survey of Texas operators conducted by the National Restaurant Association, the picture is also bleak in Texas:

• 72 percent of operators say staffing cannot support existing customer demand
• 91 percent of operators indicate decline in customer demand for indoor on-premises dining in recent weeks because of the Delta variant
• 89 percent of Texas operators say profit margins are lower than prior to the COVID-19 outbreak

Adding to restaurants’ anxiety, federal lawmakers are considering several tax increases that would be devastating for small, midsize and family-owned restaurants in particular. The National Restaurant Association recently sent a letter to Congress outlining the latest data and its concern that tax increases will further undermine restaurants’ hard-fought recovery effort.

“The Texas Restaurant Association joins our colleagues at the national level in urging Congress to help, not hurt restaurants in this critical phase of the pandemic,” said Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association. “Our members have shown incredible grit, determination and innovation, and they deserve every opportunity to rebuild their business so they can continue to serve their communities for years to come.”