Seventy-eight percent of restaurant operators said their restaurant experienced a decline in customer demand for indoor, on-premises dining in recent weeks because of the delta variant of COVID-19, according to a new survey by the National Restaurant Association. In addition, 63 percent said their sales volume in August of 2021, historically one of the busiest months for restaurants, was lower than it was in August 2019.
However, even with lower sales volumes, 78 percent of operators report that their restaurants don’t have enough employees to support current customer demand.
In light of this information, the NRA has sent a letter to Congress warning them of the harm that provisions of the Build Back Better Act could inflict on the industry rebuilding. According to the White House, the BBBA is a "plan to create jobs, cut taxes, and lower costs for working families."
"Our nation's restaurant recovery is officially moving in reverse," said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of public affairs at the NRA, in the letter. "The lingering effects of the delta variant are a further drag on an industry struggling with rising costs and falling revenue. We support many of the goals of the Build Back Better Act, but the legislation is too large and too expensive a check for small businesses to take on. Restaurants still need help today and overwhelming them with costly new obligations will only prevent progress in turning the tide of recovery."
The letter outlined the association’s opposition to several tax changes being considered as part of the bill that significantly increase tax obligations and an effort to make drastic changes to the enforcement of the National Labor Relations Act. It also urged Congress to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
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