Chefs Started A Petition For The Government To Help Restaurants

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As the coronavirus pandemic persists, the hospitality industry is taking an unprecedented hit. Restaurants and bars have been forced to close, and without an end to the crisis in sight, they’re at risk of never coming back. To support the restaurants and bars vital to our communities, chefs and restaurateurs have teamed up to launch a Change.org petition calling on government leaders to help.

More than 135,000 signatures are on the “Save America’s Restaurants” petition (and counting), including ones of high-profile industry pros like Hugh Acheson, Stephanie Izard, Will Guidara, JJ Johnson, and more. The petition implores government officials to come up with a plan. They note that needs may vary based on the city but ask for actions like waiving payroll tax and providing emergency employment benefits.

Restaurants and bars not only act as a valued gathering spot for locals but as community contributors that bring tourists, international attention, and real-estate value to neighborhoods. The petition paints a vivid image to relay the industry’s current state: “Just as many individuals live from paycheck to paycheck, so to do restaurants and bars. There’s no nest egg. No reserve fund. No glass to break in case of emergency,” the petition says: “Without significant help, many if not most of us will vanish, and our communities will be deprived of their gathering places, generosity, and memories old and yet to come.”

I, for one, am not only worried about my go-to bars and restaurants dying off but am also saddened by the thought of losing ones I may now never get to experience. This is a cry for help, and we must answer it!

You can sign the petition here.