The outlook for Massachusetts independent restaurants was bleak when Massachusetts Restaurants United (MRU), a group of chefs and restaurant owners advocating for their industry in the time of COVID-19, convened for a virtual town hall in May. In the months since, the situation has gone from bad to dire: Last week the Boston Globe warned that an “extinction-level event” was coming for Boston restaurants. While other industries, like casinos and oil, have been floated by bailouts, relief for restaurants languishes in Congress. On December 9th the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), the national advocacy group MRU is affiliated with, responded to a $908 billion COVID19 relief plan that includes no direct aid to independent restaurants and bars, but sets aside money specifically for airlines and music venues:

“More than one in five people unemployed from the pandemic, or 2.1 million Americans, are restaurant and bar workers. The industry received less than 8% of PPP funds in the Spring… more than one in six (restaurants) have permanently closed and 2.1 million people remain out of work.”

Without meaningful aid at the federal level, independent restaurants as we know them are doomed. The IRC is lobbying for the RESTAURANTS act, a $120 billion Independent Restaurant Revitalization Fund that could cover payroll, benefits, mortgage, rent, utilities, maintenance, PPE, food, and debt for independent restaurants. The grants would come through the Federal Reserve rather than through participating banks like the CARES act PPP, “a ten-week solution to what has become a ten month problem.”

If you follow restaurants at all, you know how badly they’re hurting. Since the first round of shutdowns, groups like MRU and IRC have sounded the alarm through savvy social media campaigns and the press. The dismal statistics are out there, and they’re overwhelming. What can we do? What do restaurant owners want to see from us most? It’s pretty simple:

• Sign up for MRU emails

• Sign up for IRC

• And then DO WHATEVER THEY ARE ASKING!

“It’s not sexy but this is how the process works, ” says Tony Maws, owner of Craigie on Main and Craigie Burger and an MRU board member. And they’re not asking much: Emailing a senator with their online form is faster than ordering takeout. And what about takeout? Maws adds:

• Don't stop buying from local restaurants. And whenever possible avoid using third party delivery services!

Third party apps like Grubhub, Ubereats and Doordash are major benefactors of the pandemic. The apps, which can charge up to a third of the order price, are a necessary evil for many food businesses, and MRU is lobbying for a cap on their non-negotiable fees. If it sometimes feels too late for independent retail, there’s still time to stop e-commerce from killing our restaurants.

“One way to tangibly help a small business restaurant is to order directly from them and pick it up if you can,” says James Choi, founder of Perillas at Bow Market in Somerville, soon expanding to a second location in Allston. “It comes at the cost of your convenience, but it means a lot to us. Ultimately, however, I’d happily take a Grubhub order over no order.” Another cost-effective way:

• Spread the word. Leave a review (or maybe even think twice before leaving a negative review), and promote your favorite restaurants. 

Restaurants are the heart and soul of our cities. We’re all hanging by a thread, but we owe restaurant owners and workers all the tenderness and goodwill we can muster—and an exorbitant tip, too, no matter what.

On the eve of a city council meeting where the immediate future of indoor dining in Cambridge would be decided, Pam Willis, co-owner of Pammy’s, made a plea:

“We are restaurateurs not politicians, we are chefs not public health experts. We are hospitality professionals not activists or journalists. Recently however, notice how our roles have changed? We are expected to be all these things to keep our businesses afloat and our communities safe. But, I’m afraid we have come to the end of our rope and we need your help.”