SAN FRANCISCO—According to a report from Yelp on Thursday, July 23, nearly 400 restaurants in the area have permanently closed since March, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A restaurant named Nopalito in the Sunset District has closed its doors. There is a sign saying “thank you 9th Avenue we will miss you.”
According to Yelp, the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area has more than 5,000 businesses that have closed either temporarily or permanently between March 1 and July 10.
Joey Ahearne, an owner of El Porteno Empanadas, indicated on July 23 that the kiosk had been keeping the lights on for his wholesale and new Bay Area wide delivery service.
Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurants Association, estimates that the situation will get even worse. She noted the industry needs help from the federal government. A $120 billion restaurant relief bill was introduced in June.
Some restaurants are struggling with their outdoor dining. Thomas says many of them need inside dining to restart business before the rains start, in order to survive.
