Takeout, delivery and outdoor dining are the only way Michigan restaurants can survive during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Stock Photo
Takeout, delivery and outdoor dining are the only way Michigan restaurants can survive during the COVID-19 pandemic. | Stock Photo
Since February, the number of Michigan residents working in restaurants has decreased by 24%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential.
The survey, which covers data from February to October, shows that the national average job loss in restaurants during that time was 14.7%.
Looking at Michigan's bars, restaurants and other food-service establishments, the state has seen a 26.5% loss in jobs since February, while the nation as a whole has seen a 14.8% decrease during the same time period.
"Michigan had 325,600 jobs in what the BLS calls the 'food services and drinking places industry' in February. By October, there were 239,200 jobs. Restaurant employment here hit a low point in April, falling from 325,600 to 145,000," Michigan Capitol Confidential reported.
The National Restaurant Association also released a survey in early December, showing that 17% of food-service businesses have closed nationwide. This amounts to 110,000 establishments. The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association says that, if the current lockdown restrictions continue, Michigan can expect to see 5,000 restaurants and hotels shuttered permanently.
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