# National Restaurant Association Gives Desperate Plea to Congress for Industry Relief

Published 2020-12-14 · Updated 2026-07-23 · Food & Beverage on MarketScale
Canonical: https://www.marketscale.com/industries/food-beverage/national-restaurant-association-gives-desperate-plea-to-congress-for-industry-relief

> As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to starve the restaurant industry, with more than 110,000 businesses—the majority of which were well-established restaurants to community fixtures—permanently closed in 2020. That’s more than 17% of all of our nation’s restaurants, with 16% of which had been in business for at least 30 years. Further, 87% of those…

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to starve the restaurant industry, with more than [110,000 businesses](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/restaurant-industry-free-fall-10-140000375.html)—the majority of which were well-established restaurants to community fixtures—permanently closed in 2020. That’s more than 17% of all of our nation’s restaurants, with 16% of which had been in business for at least 30 years. Further, 87% of those still open are reporting a 36% drop in sales revenue.

Taking a look at what is grim news for the restaurant industry, MarketScale Radio hosts Daniel Litwin and Tyler Kern discuss the findings of a survey that illustrates the deterioration of the restaurant industry and give the details of a letter written by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) to Congressional leadership pleading for a ‘down payment’ relief bill so that the rest of the sector can make it to the new year, as well as a larger relief package for 2021.

- The National Restaurant Association delivered a letter to congressional leadership with new industry findings.
- 17% of restaurants, more than 110,000 establishments, are closed permanently or in the long term.
- Most shuttered restaurants had been in business more than 16 years; 16% had been open at least 30 years.

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