8M in restaurant industry without jobs: survey

More than 8 million restaurant employees have been laid off or furloughed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis from the National Restaurant Association.

A survey by the trade group found 88 percent of restaurant operators have instituted layoffs or furloughs since the outbreak began in early March, cutting 83 percent of total staff on average. Forty-one percent of respondents laid off or furloughed all staff members.

Restaurants featuring table service were the most drastically affected, with more than 90 percent of operators surveyed saying they have made layoffs or furloughs. Jobs were cut at 96 percent of fine dining restaurants, with an average reduction of 89 percent of staff.

By comparison, 75 percent of fast-casual and coffee establishments have made cuts as did 58 percent of quick service operators.

Limited-service operators saw smaller losses, which the organization said was due to their readiness to handle off-premises services as nearly all restaurants nationwide have closed to dine-in customers.

The survey also found that 60 percent of operators said existing federal relief programs, such as the federal Paycheck Protection Program, will not be sufficient to avoid job cuts. The survey also found sales were down an average of 78 percent, with the group estimating the industry will lose more than $50 billion in sales in April if current trends persist.

The group surveyed more than 6,500 restaurant operators between April 1 and April 16.