The COVID Haves & The Have Nots
In just two weeks since its highly anticipated release, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that was meant to help small businesses survive the pandemic has... run out of money. Womp womp for those who didn't get funds!
Meanwhile, spots like Shake Shack and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse have been amongst the lucky recipients of these contested funds.
It's funny how luck ties to size. While the point of the PPP loan was to help small businesses, it seems like the majority of fund recipients have been chain businesses or businesses with 50-plus employees. Which, by logical description, do not fit the "small business" category even if the Google description says a "standard small business size classification by employees is 500 employees or less." Then, local independent restaurants are diminute!
This is the reality actual small businesses must cope with. The reality of the haves and have nots.
In modern consumerist corporate America, the good 'ol mom and pop shops are simply not good enough. As a small business owner I can tell you that the oversight is palpable. While our customers are the angels keeping us afloat, with their donations during these months of lockdown, there has been no other form of outreach from our government representatives or local media.
Sure, there are emails. So many emails! We are included in the mass messages sent to fellow small business owners to give them some hope and mostly information about when they'll be able to reopen and, "get back to normal." Other than that, we have not been reached by our local business association or restaurant association, or even their interns, directly to know that we are accounted for.
Worse is that we have learned about "advocacy" efforts by restaurants from the news. Nobody contacted us, our neighbors, our town sub shop, or even the pizza spot we use two towns over, to sign any legislation petition. The article described such a noble front and yet the restaurants listed did not sound like the places you would call on a weekend to order fried rice from. The majority of places are 500 employee style "small businesses."
Like the "small business" PPP loans going to large corporate food chains, and screwing the independent local restaurants, the current focus for getting restaurants to survive COVID is on the fancy shmancy larger establishments.
Some restaurants don't have liquor licenses. Others have no seating. Many have specific serving schedules. Still all, ALL, serve food. In many cases, pretty darn good food that can surpass the one at fancy places. So, why aren't we being included in more than email lists? Why must our burden of survival be placed on our customers?
At this point, where I am struggling to figure out if our 20-year family-owned food business can make it through Corona, I want to know where is our tax money?
What has our government, local and federal, done with the thousands in meal taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes, income taxes, plus license fees, health certificate fees, we- the established, independent, reliable, and truly small local restaurants- pay monthly and annually? WHERE is the money? WHY are the big places getting it before us? WHEN will we get a cut?
Don't get me wrong, I respect the large restaurants. They are memorable places to visit, to splurge on, to delight in. They take more effort to build up and maintain, and are more susceptible to closing that your town sub shop. Many large restaurants are on my favorites list. However, these places are not run-of-the-mill weekend spots for most people.
One saves and plans and reserves dates to go on a fancy meal, maybe to celebrate a milestone. Then, the majority of our collective food memories (first dates, coffee breaks, family gatherings, friend catch-ups) happen at your trusted little local spot. Eating that hearty bowl of spaghetti, slathered ribs, spicy burrito, or perfectly whipped ice ream.
Without the TRULY small, independent, local restaurants America's main streets are simply, nothing. Our nation's economy cannot prevail by bailing out the large organizations- even the large restaurants. Our society cannot succeed by ignoring the hard work and dedication of restaurant owners living in the towns they cook for; instead giving press and attention to the restaurant and bar "industry leaders."
You may think I'm overreacting, or that I'm jealous of the "big guys." In reality I'm just sharing our reality.
It is very hard to get seen right now, to compete with restaurants also serving alcohol for deliveries or with three or more locations selling the same menu. These businesses are not "small," but they're considered as such and by inertia they are driving us, the diminute, out of business.