3 or 4 years for restaurant industry to get back on its feet - economist

This article was previously published on EatOut.co.za.

The restaurant industry has endured hit after hit, standing up each time to continue serving their customers and earning a livelihood during the COVID-19 pandemic and the South African lockdown. While he also offers up potential solutions for relief, economist Mike Schussler says that this may, unfortunately, be just the beginning.

Schussler says it’s easy to see a scenario where half the restaurants in the country are forced to close their doors by the end of the year. As they depend on holiday trade, he says that tourism-dependent provinces such as the coasts and Mpumalanga will probably be hit harder. And with no April or mid-year holidays, and schools likely to remain open “virtually till the end of the year”, the December holidays are likely to be a non-event.