Restaurant Industry-June 9th

Restaurant Reservations

As more states move toward opening up, restaurants around the company are opening up. Compared to last report in May 26th, restaurant reservations nationally improved from -85% YoY to -74% YoY. 43 states have either allowed restaurants to open for dine in or have plans to do so in the near future. Georgia tells a similar story to the national average, albeit with a slightly faster recovery—an improvement from -78% YoY to -71% YoY.

Casual Dining & Fast Food

Casual dining is benefiting tremendously from the state legislation allowing dine in customers. They are currently operating at -58% of their capacity YoY, which is up 30% from their lowest point. At the trend Casual dining is recovering, we will see a return to full capacity within 58 days.  

Fast food is continuing to remain unaffected after a short scare in late March, continuing average normal operating foot traffic, with slight fluctuations up and down.

Georgia is Reopening Bars

On June 1st, Georgia governor Brian Kemp allowed the reopening of bars. Similarly to when he allowed the reopening of dine in restaurants, reopening requires strict adherence to 39 safety regulations. These include:

  • Screening workers for COVID-19 symptoms
  • Limiting capacity to 25 people or 35 percent of total occupancy
  • Allowing parties of no more than six people
  • Only serving drinks within designated areas or to seated patrons

While many bars are planning on reopening, some are expressing their concern about what these regulations will mean for their business. 35% capacity may not be enough to turn a profit, and with Georgia’s strict takeout laws, there isn’t a “to-go” option like with what restaurants have. Some bars have chosen not to reopen in this current market.

Photo of an undetermined Georgia Tech home game during the 1918 college football season. That's when the sport was hit by the Spanish flu and the end of World War I.

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