WEXFORD — Restaurants have been through a tough two years. Restrictions and shutdowns caused many restaurants to close for good. Others are now doing everything they can to stay afloat.
The Restaurant Revitalization Fund provided a lifeline for about 3,500 restaurants across Pennsylvania.
But that fund quickly ran out, leaving more than 6,400 restaurants hanging in the balance.
Channel 11 told you when there was a big push to replenish the fund. However, the government left it out of its $1.5 trillion federal budget bill that the U.S. Senate passed Thursday night.
“It’s a real gut punch to the industry,” said Ben Fileccia, the senior director of operations for the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.
The state’s restaurant and lodging association said the money would have really helped restaurants recover, especially with today’s problems of the worker shortage and higher costs. Restaurant owners agree.
“There are businesses that are looking for that kind of help and for a lot of businesses. This is the 11th hour, said the co-owner of The Oven in Wexford, James Samreny.
The association is now looking at other options to help struggling restaurants.
“We are hoping the state replenishes the CHIRP (The COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program) fund, which provided hundreds of millions of dollars to state restaurants and hospitality businesses,” said Fileccia. “We are hoping to work with the PLCB (Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board) to raise the licensee discount from 10 to 15%. We’re also hoping ‘mixed drinks to go’ will make a comeback pretty soon.”
Good news for restaurant owners: spring and summertime are right around the corner, which will help boost business, especially outdoor dining.
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