Summer has arrived in the Big Apple and after more than two long years of pandemic restrictions, a vital and emblematic industry such as bars and restaurants “grease” their machinery to continue climbing the hard slope that the months of closure implied , restrictions and special policies such as the requirement of proof of vaccination for their customers.
Now, with the city “back”, these establishments, for many reasons, are not the same, especially small businesses of the neighborhoods that are out of sight of the thousands of tourists who are expected during these hot months.
“Our neighbors are no longer afraid to go out due to the spread of a virus, but because they are afraid to spend because of high inflation. Other clients prefer that we take the food to their house and have their drinks at home. Others fear being on these streets at night, because of the crime that also scares them. There are other fears,” said innkeeper Vicente León, who runs a restaurant in El Barrio, in Upper Manhattan.
Vicente’s testimony is not a personal and isolated comment, nor is it a reality that describes a “death sentence” for part of this industry, where four out of every five employees are of Hispanic origin.
“There is encouragement to continue”
For the spokesperson for the Association of Hispanic Restaurants and Bars in the State New York (NYSRBLA), Arelia Taveras, in fact, hundreds of small restaurants are “fighting” with months of rent debt, inflation, electric rates and the incidence of crime in some neighborhoods. But these small entrepreneurs also have the “spirit” to maintain their businesses at all costs.
“The pandemic forced to restructure and adapt to food delivery technology that was not as popular before. We note that there is interest in staying. And offer other customer services. There is the certainty that we must adapt to the new times. And as an association we continue to be a bridge to help our members save their businesses”, explained the Dominican union leader.
According to figures from the New York City Hospitality Alliance over the years 2020 Y 1152 at least the 87% of the restaurants could not cover the rental costs.
There came a time when it was hard 2020, where according to the balances, the 10% of these businesses barely “survived” with delivery services.
Still high accounts payable
After overcoming the closures and the prohibitions of high density of diners inside, the mandatory vaccination tests for customers, l Due to staff shortages and curfews, small entrepreneurs still have “accounts to pay” due to the pandemic.
“We continue to accompany our associates to fight evictions in court and make agreements with the company Conedison for overdue electricity bills, even for the payment of the service when the restaurants were closed”, indicated Taveras.
For this reason, the NYSRBLA has outlined among its policies the search for alternatives that allow the owners of this type of establishment to know how they can revitalize their businesses .
”We have mentoring and advisory programs for small entrepreneurs in difficulty. But we are also pressing, with the support of national organizations, that the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA) forgive the debts of those who, during the public health crisis, accessed financial aid that they must pay in 30 years”, he stated.
Renewed optimism
For his part, the Colombian Marcos Muñoz, owner of the El Mojito restaurant on Northern Boulevard, in Queens, which is part of a long line of gastronomy and entertainment places in that a town with a Hispanic majority, began this summer with renewed optimism, after months of great difficulties.
“We believe that now we have to see our businesses differently, thinking of a different client. We did not do deliveries before, to cite just one example. Now yes. We have every desire to offer a better service. We’re back. And I feel like people want to get out. And after we were about to lose everything due to the pandemic, we want to recover,” said Marcos.
Almost two and a half years after the executive order of business closures in the Big Apple Due to the pandemic, the truth is that some reports show that these businesses continue to close their doors.
At least 1,000 were unable to survive the economic crisis, but due to the difficulty of exactly tracking these closures, experts say that number could be even higher, and will likely “take months or even years to evaluate it in its real magnitude”, reports the publication Eater NYC, dedicated to this economic sector.
The big bite of “inflation”
The 8.6% increase in the prices of consumer goods, especially food for New Yorkers, is another reality that “sits” at the restaurant table.
According to some analysts, restaurant price adjustments in the Big Apple have required menu price adjustments in at least one 20% in the last six months.
“Before the pandemic, A pound of chicken used to cost less than $1 now is over $4, if you add to that the supply problems, obviously there is an impact on the service. That is why restaurants are now trying to be more creative, looking for options to attract their customers. But despite that, we got out of this. There is encouragement in the sector to move forward,” said Arelia Taveras, leader of the NYSRBLA.
In general, small entrepreneurs are managing to offer drinks with discounts at certain hours, lunch and dinner packages at attractive prices, live talent and other incentives to motivate a clientele overwhelmed by the inflation that now “thinks about it more” to sit down to taste dishes and drinks.
In this sense, it is easy to get “addicts” to “eating out” who have changed their habits, waiting for better times.
“At least weekly I tried a different restaurant here in Williamsburg (Brooklyn), but when you have to fight with all the raises, you think about it. The most I do is order, because that way you save the drink and everything else. But we have faith that we will adjust. Everything changes. We are still having the hangover of recent years“, commented the Ecuadorian sports coach Salvador López.
Salvador’s decision, which is multiplied by thousands in the city, has in turn wreaked havoc on the small business economy. Even more so from employees who depend on tips from diners and their customers at the bars to survive.
Such is the case of Colombian Carlos Gómez, from 28 years working in a bar in Jackson Heights, Queens, who in one sentence sums it up: “There were winter days when I came home penniless, but I’m hopeful that this summer will be one of recovery.”
There is a chance to register for Restaurant Week
In the midst of this moment, where several threads continue to promote the economic relief of the city, NYC & Company, the organization promotion of destinations and the convention and tourism office of the Big Apple, extended the registration period until next July 5 so that Hispanic and Latino restaurants in the city can register and participate in the thirtieth anniversary of this edition 2022 of the Restaurant Week in NYC.
Participation in New York City Restaurant Week is open to both quick service and casual restaurants, as well as full service establishments.
This program, which will take place between 18 of July and the 21 in August, will highlight restaurants throughout the city.
In addition, this initiative encourages New Yorkers and visitors alike to explore and support the iconic and diverse restaurant scene that makes New York City the food capital of the world.
This special plan that will be carried out from Monday to Friday (Saturdays are restricted and Sundays are optional), will offer flexibility and a wide range of free possibilities so that restaurants can participate this year .
For example, the option of participating in one, several or during the five weeks of the event is offered, thus allowing gastronomic entrepreneurs to select the weeks that are most convenient.
For lunch service, a two-course menu is stipulated at a fixed price, determined by the restaurant, which can range from 28, 30 either 60 Dollars. At dinner, the idea is to offer a three-course menu at a fixed price between 30, 45 either 60 Dollars. Participation on Sundays is optional.
How to take part?
- All profits go directly to the individual establishments, and reservations will go live on July 6 at this website nycgo.com/restaurantweek, just one day after final registration for restaurants closes on July 5.
- Restaurants interested in more information can write to: nycrestweek@nycgo.com
- Gastronomic establishments that register through the following link, they will offer fixed price lunches and dinners during the dates that the program lasts https://business.nycgo.com/nyc-restaurant-week-sign-up/
- 21,000 bars and restaurants operated in the Big Apple prior to the pandemic.
- 36 days of internal service only for the 25% of customers was the time they were able to bill thousands of restaurants between 30 September and 11 December of the year 2020 due to pandemic restrictions.
- 198 days between the general shutdown of the economy in March and the start of Phase 3 in July meant thousands of dollars in losses for thousands of these businesses, which were only allowed to serve their dishes to go.
- 50% of the total of these establishments until the beginning of 2021 ran the risk of permanently closing their doors in the face of the devastating effects of the pandemic.