Still struggling, restaurants call for more relief from Congress

Advocates for the battered restaurant industry are calling on Congress to replenish the now depleted revitalization fund dedicated to helping ailing establishments get back on their feet after more than a year of COVID-related starts and stops. 

The pandemic created a challenging environment that forced roughly 90,000, or about 1 in 10 restaurants, to close as owners struggled do business in any kind of way that made financial sense for them. Those that remain are still saddled with debt from the government's paycheck protection program and other temporary relief measures. They also face a new set of challenges as they try to claw their way back to profitability.