The Effect LA Shutdowns Have Had on the Restaurant Industry

Episode Summary

Main Topics Discussed

• The devastating impact of LA's COVID-19 shutdowns on the restaurant industry.
• The perceived unfairness and inconsistencies in government mandates, specifically targeting restaurants while other businesses remain open.
• The severe economic and social consequences, particularly for restaurant employees and their families.
• The complete lack of communication and perceived incompetence from local and state government officials regarding industry regulations.
• Potential alternative solutions, such as rapid testing, to safely reopen businesses and restore livelihoods.
• Concerns about governmental overreach and the establishment of potentially authoritarian precedents.

Key Insights & Memorable Moments

• Guests expressed frustration that restaurants, typically "rule followers" accustomed to strict health regulations, felt unfairly "crushed" and "picked on" by the current shutdown orders.
• A striking inconsistency was highlighted: people can go to malls, stores, or fly on airplanes (eating maskless), but cannot eat outdoors at a socially distanced LA restaurant.
• One guest revealed personally spending $250,000 on safety measures like glass partitions, UV lights, air filtration, and building patios, only for the establishments to be immediately shut down again.
• A strong emphasis was placed on the human cost: "It's about the employees... the dishwashers and the busboys and the servers that live day to day on the money that they make at the restaurant. It's their livelihood."
• Restaurant owners receive new mandates from the news, often with only 24 hours to comply, and claim there's no direct communication channel with officials like Newsom or Garcetti.
• The guests proposed implementing rapid testing at restaurant entrances, citing successful examples like Stubs BBQ in Austin, where patrons are tested before attending events, ensuring a safe environment.
• The LA mayor's alleged threats to shut off water and power to private residences hosting gatherings was mentioned, drawing parallels to a "dictatorship."

Notable Quotes or Revelations

• "We're the ones that are being crushed or being picked on so to speak... because we're the ones that are being shut down in a city where a lot of other businesses are remaining open."
• "I've personally spent 250,000 abiding by the rules that were set forth... and then to just kind of be shut down is really really difficult."
• "That's the biggest issue that we have is they they refuse to communicate to any of us and I can't quite figure out why. We hear about it on the news."
• "I reached out to Newsome I reached out to Garcetti and they do nothing... they put you on phony task force they lie."
• "I really I literally feel like LA's like a third world country right now. Never seen anything like this."
• "This is some sort of dictatorship happening that uh we to me is a bigger picture if if if other uh governments if other states county cities see that they can just shut an industry down so easily... what's stopping everyone else from doing this."

Overall Themes

• Government Incompetence & Lack of Leadership: A consistent critique of LA and state officials for their perceived poor handling of the crisis, lack of communication, and creation of ineffective, arbitrary policies.
• Economic Devastation & Human Impact: The severe financial losses for business owners are underscored by the immediate and critical impact on the livelihoods of thousands of working-class restaurant employees.
• Inconsistency & Hypocrisy of Regulations: The profound frustration over why restaurants are targeted for shutdown while other businesses and activities with similar or higher perceived risks are permitted to operate.
• Erosion of Trust & Fear of Overreach: A growing sentiment that government actions are arbitrary and punitive, setting a dangerous precedent for potential authoritarian control rather than being based on sound public health strategy.
• The Need for Practical, Science-Based Solutions: A clear call for innovative and actionable approaches, such as widespread rapid testing, as a superior alternative to blanket shutdowns.