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Restaurants, we're here for you.
Resources for Restaurants The coronavirus pandemic has drastically impacted the restaurant industry and led many small restaurant owners to face unprecedented challenges. With the latest closures to indoor dining and coldest months still ahead of us, adapting your restaurant to meet the needs of your customers and comply with local restrictions has never been more important.
The Pace SBDC team is here to help. We can offer insight into the latest restrictions and regulations, help you transition to online ordering and effectively market yourself on those platforms, work with you to identify and apply to relevant programs, and so much more. Our advisors are meeting with businesses remotely, over the phone or with Zoom, and do so at no-cost. Make an appointment today by emailing sbdc@pace.edu or visiting our website.
Lower the Cost of Online Ordering The SBDC Network serves as a resource partner for Empire State Digital, a State of New York-based initiative that helps New York small business owners digitize, expand, and adapt to the digital economy through partnerships with leading global e-commerce and e-payment providers. The initiative's latest project is a collaboration with Paypal and Ritual ONE to temporarily lower the cost of online ordering. Right now, New York restaurants and other eateries can join Ritual's online ordering platform for free and Ritual won't charge commission or credit card processing fees until March 31st, 2021. Increasingly, customers want to order ahead and avoid waiting in crowds or lines. Make it easy for them and cheaper for you by taking advantage of this program.
Does your outdoor dining space have heaters? Even as the weather gets colder, many customers want to support their local restaurants and dine outdoors. There is an open-source map of restaurants that use heat lamps, gas heaters, and other warming devices in their outdoor dining spaces. We highly recommend you add your establishment to this list if you've worked to winterize your dining space. It's free and simple to add yourself -- just a few clicks and you'll be marketing yourself to potential diners.
Financing & Operating Resources NYC and New York State are working to support restaurants:
The LMI Storefront Loan Program provides 0% interest loans of up to $100,000 to eligible storefront businesses (including restaurants) that are located in a low-to-moderate income zip code.
The New York Forward Small Business Lease Assistance Partnership is a public-private partnership offering pro bono legal services to help avoid small business eviction and reach a mutually agreeable lease renegotiation.
The Open Restaurants program facilitates outdoor dining and is currently the only way to provide table-side service to customers in New York City.
Check out the Pace SBDC's COVID-19 Resource page and learn more about the many different relief programs & resources available to small businesses.