In Texas, two dozen bar owners are taking more aggressive action by suing to overturn Governor Greg Abbott’s order closing taverns, arguing he is picking winners and losers among the state’s businesses, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Townsend said bar owners who follow the rules should be able to serve tipplers who also follow the rules.
“They feel like they’re being punished by the few bad operators, and that bars are an easy target,” Townsend said. “If nightlife goes away, downtown goes dark again after 5, and that would be devastating.”
For some businesses that operate in multiple jurisdictions, just keeping up with requirements in different states is a headache.
Becky Mulligan heads Little Beet, a chain of vegetarian restaurants on the East Coast that are a mix of full-service and fast-casual units. She had been planning to reopen her biggest full-service restaurant on New York’s Park Avenue on July 6 and had just hired four people. With New York’s plan for dine-in service now in flux, she may have to shift them to fast-casual spots.
“The most challenging problem for us has been finding the source of truth in each municipality we’re in,” Mulligan said. “My team and I have learned to check local news sources every morning, noon and evening and then figure out how to operate under the specific regulations that we find. The month of June has been consumed with what we’re allowed to do at each location each day.”
With the scope of the virus’s latest spread uncertain, July may be no better.