Restaurant Sector Demands More Support

Further job losses and restaurant closures are expected in the restaurant sector in Mexico if the government does not provide more support, said the industry this week as it prepared to protest for a second time. “The industry initiated negotiations with the Mexico City authorities but the government has not listened to our demands,” the National Chamber of the Restaurants and Seasoned Food Industry (CANIRAC) said in a statement. “We are drowning; it is increasingly difficult to operate and keep jobs. New restaurants are being added every day to the 13,500 restaurants that have closed and the more than 80,000 jobs that have been lost,” the industry added.

According to CANIRAC, 40 percent of the city's restaurants are currently inactive because they do not have a terrace or an open place to set tables. Those that are open are earning only 30 to 35 percent of what they did before the pandemic. Restaurants are demanding to extend service hours from 6 pm to 10 pm and to allow diners to sit inside.

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