D.C. restaurants brace for COVID challenges in 2022

• “I was very optimistic… up til just a couple of weeks ago. I honestly felt like we would return to a good deal of normalcy in the spring quarter – that’s our biggest time here in Washington,” EatWell DC restaurant group owner David Winer told Axios of his pre-Omicron outlook.

What’s happening: The industry is now bracing for more COVID-related challenges, all while staffing and supply chain issues persist.

• Winer predicts that takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining will once again become a more prevalent part of restaurants’ business models if Omicron continues to spread across the DMV.
• More restaurant closures are also likely, he says, if current COVID trends persist.

“There’s truthfully just a boatload of uncertainty,” Winer tells Axios. Overall, the restaurant owner says he’s concerned about the industry heading into 2022.

The bottom line: Unfortunately, the challenges restaurants and bars faced at the end of 2021 will follow them into at least the first few months of the new year.