According to one of the latest surveys available, up to 30% of the country’s restaurants had to close their doors permanently due to the pandemic.
JOHANNESBURG – The restaurant industry said that despite enjoying some respite under level one lockdown, it’s still not out of financial trouble.
According to one of the latest surveys available, up to 30% of the country’s restaurants had to close their doors permanently due to the pandemic.
Of the restaurants that are still open for trade, more than half said that they were not sure how long they would be able to survive.
The Restaurant Association of South Africa’s Wendy Alberts said that owners’ turnovers were still low.
“We’re very concerned about the industry. We have taken last week and this week to really engage with landlords and display the importance of the role that landlords will play. We’re trading by the luck of the landlord and if the landlord starts calling us to return to those big leases, we’re going to lose between 50%-60% of the current restaurant sector in South Africa.”