9 of Every 10 Restaurants and Bars in N.Y.C. Can't Pay Full Rent

Nomad, a North African and Mediterranean restaurant in the East Village, shut down in March after the pandemic engulfed New York City, leaving its owner unable to pay the full $11,500 rent for months.

After opening for outdoor dining in June, the owner, Mehenni Zebentout, has struggled to pay 70 to 80 percent of the rent. But he had to cut his staff from nine full-time employees to four part-time workers. And his landlord still wants Mr. Zebentout to pay what he owes from the spring.

“We’re just hoping for some miracle,’’ he said. “I believe, according to my experience, two out of three restaurants will close by December, and I’ll be one of them if there’s no help from the city or the government.”

Even after the opening of outdoor dining, which was meant to provide a boost to the city’s roughly 25,000 restaurants and bars, many are still in financial free fall and closing for good.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/nyregion/nyc-restaurants-rent.html