FERNDALE, Mich. – Many restaurant owners are worried that time is running out on their business -- and worried if customers will come back to dining in.
Several restaurants are closing their doors permanently. The parent company of Bravo and Brio declared bankruptcy and smaller restaurants may not have the capacity needed to survive when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is over.
READ: Michigan restaurants and bars hope to reopen for dine-in service by May 29
When the time comes Michiganders can actually return to dining in at a restaurant -- they might fewer choices.
Some within the industry think as many as three in 10 restaurants will not reopen when Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order is lifted.
The problem, according to Rich Studley with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, is lost income but also the cost of the first food order for a restaurant to open back up. That can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Pop’s For Italian in Ferndale is doing the best it can with carryout -- but it’s all the unknowns that make the future so uncertain.
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association has put forth an extensive roadmap for all restaurants going forward.