In 2020, Covid restrictions ground the nation’s bustling restaurant industry to a halt.
Last year, there were about 631,000 restaurants in the United States, according to data from Technomic, a restaurant research firm.
Meanwhile, restaurant operators are seeing their own costs, like rent and ingredients, rise, and say it’s hard to hire staff.
With conditions so tough, some restaurant owners are advising newcomers to steer clear of the industry altogether.
Daniel Jacobs, a chef and restaurant owner, has seen his own network of restaurants shrink over the past few years.