As several restaurants have learned to adapt to new Covid-19 health guidelines and measures, restaurants have also continued to struggle during their re-openings. 

“An organization of independent restaurateurs called the Independent Restaurant Coalition has estimated that as many as 85% of the individual restaurants and small restaurant groups around the country might close permanently by the end of 2020,” an article in USA Today suggested.  

Prinya Siri, the owner of Again Café X Chibiscus Ramen Restaurant in Pasadena, said he has lost 90% of his sales and 80% of his employees amidst the pandemic.

Prinya says restaurants, including his, may perhaps never go back to normal. “We are already projecting that this will probably be back or close to ‘normal’ maybe in 2022 if we can last that long,” Prinya said. 

Restaurants have now resorted to serving outside in the streets while accommodating social distancing guidelines and have gained a higher rate of customers through takeout strategies. 

“Operating profits are also expected to decline by more than 30 percent this year. But profits could rebound next year by 15 percent,” Pasadena Now speculated. 

Priscilla Caballero can be reached at [email protected].