As New York City approaches the one-year anniversary of its first indoor dining shutdown, restaurants and bars continue to close their doors. At least 1,000 have closed since March due to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Among them are newer neighborhood favorites like Uncle Boons and MeMe’s diner, along with decades-old institutions including 21 Club, Fedora, and Frank’s Cocktail Lounge.
In all likelihood, the list of permanent closures will only continue to grow in New York, as rent payments continue to mount and restaurants attempt to weather the upcoming months on takeout, delivery, and limited indoor dining. In September, a survey from the New York State Restaurant Association predicted that as many as two-thirds of the state’s restaurants could permanently close by the end of that year if they did not receive additional government aid. Due to the difficulty of tracking restaurant and bar closings right now, experts say that number could be even