COVID-19 restaurant closures (2020-2021)
During the pandemic, many restaurants across the U.S. closed permanently. Some closed quietly, with the first public sign being a license lapse or a shuttered storefront.
Restaurant employment fell sharply, and many independent eateries never reopened.
The pandemic accelerated a shift toward chains and delivery-focused concepts in the restaurant industry.
Shows how a license lapse is often the first detectable sign of a restaurant closure, but also that some restaurants do reopen after temporary lapses.
