A Shocking Number of Restaurants Closed This Fall, New Survey Reports

Ten thousand more restaurants closed across the country in the past three months, according to a new survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association. In total, more than 17% of all U.S. restaurants are now permanently or temporarily closed—that's more than 110,000 businesses.

The bleak figures were included in a letter urging Congress to pass a new coronavirus relief package as the restaurant industry reels. Sean Kennedy, the executive vice president for public affairs at the National Restaurant Association, warned in a letter to congressional leadership that more than 500,000 restaurants face an uncertain future amid "an economic free fall."

"And for every month that passes without a solution from Congress, thousands more restaurants will close their doors for good," Kennedy wrote. (Related: McDonald's Is Making These 8 Major Upgrades.)

The association gathered restaurant closure data by surveying 6,000 operators, and the data revealed that 87% of full-service restaurants had experienced an average revenue drop of 36%. That sharp decline sparked widespread bankruptcies and closures.

Most businesses expected sales to be "even worse" over the next three months. Thirty-seven percent said it was unlikely they would still be in business six months from now without additional federal relief, while 36% said they were considering temporarily shutting down operations until the end of the pandemic.

The vast majority of the newly closed restaurants were long-standing fixtures in their communities, which were in business for an average of 16 years. No restaurant model was left unscathed: The list included everything from independent restaurants to fast-food chains and franchises.

Here are some of the most iconic restaurants that closed in every state, plus a list of fast-food chains that have filed for bankruptcy this year. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.