Covid-19: 60 Days in Review
It has been 60 days since the government-mandated shutdown of all non-essential businesses began. While the tri-state area has yet to receive the green light of when restaurants can welcome back customers, many restaurateurs are devising plans to adapt to the new normal of restaurant dining once the stay-at-home order is lifted.
Mobile ordering, disposable cutlery, paper menus, and spread out tables are just some of the changes restaurant owners are planning to ensure a safe environment for staff and customers. Many states around the country are already putting these precautions in place as operations resumed in states like Georgia and Wisconsin, where restaurants and bars have filled seats once again. Wearing masks, gloves and frequent sanitizing are no longer recommendations, but have become a lifeline for businesses as the world continues to battle the pandemic.
As tri-state area governors have not yet budged with their lockdown orders, they are finally beginning to relax restrictions due to the decrease in hospitalizations. Over the last few weeks, parks, golf courses and beaches have been given the green light to reopen to the public just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, making a promising recovery for restaurants hoping their day comes soon.
Bielat Santore & Company has been working tirelessly these last 60 days to help restaurant industry professionals in every way possible. Our weekly Restaurant Industry Alerts and “Thursday Restaurant Rap” interview series have provided clients, customers and friends in the industry with the most factual, pertinent, up-to-date information regarding the pandemic, keeping all of us connected during this difficult time. In addition, we recently launched a Restaurant Industry Survey, available on our website to get feedback from restaurant industry professionals. Further in our efforts to help get the industry back on its feet, Bielat Santore & Company is putting together a “task force” of experienced restaurateurs to collaborate with one another to share ideas that would be beneficial in preparation to reopen post Covid-19. If you would be interested in participating, please take our survey found on Bielat Santore & Company’s website at https://www.njrestaurantsforsale.com/.

We are all in this together, here for each other, and reassuring one another that we can get through this. As always, we encourage you to stay safe, be well and keep the faith!
Timeline: March 16th – May 15th
MARCH 16 – All restaurants in NJ ordered to closed by 8:00 pm
March 17 – Restaurants permitted to stay open for take-out and delivery only
MARCH 18 – Consumption liquor licensees (Types “32” and “33”) are permitted to do takeout and delivery of alcoholic beverages
MARCH 19 – NJ approved for SBA Disaster Loans
MARCH 20 – Bielat Santore & Company makes available financial spreadsheet to help restaurants compute capital needs.
MARCH 21 -The Federal tax-filing deadline will move to July 15, the same day tax payments are due.
MARCH 22 – What to Do If You’re Laid Off Due to Coronavirus Closures.
MARCH 23 – The federal government is racing to ease the pain facing the U.S. economy as the coronavirus pandemic makes its swift pivot from public health crisis to financial catastrophe.
MARCH 24 – The State of New Jersey has developed a centralized resource to match talent with opportunities in industries on the front lines of serving New Jersians during the outbreak.
MARCH 25 – Senate Democrats have reached a deal with the Trump White House and Senate Republicans on a massive $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package.
MARCH 26 – ND3DA announces initiatives including a grant program for small businesses and a zero-interest loan program.
MARCH 27 – House passes $2 trillion emergency spending bill to combat economic impact of coronavirus, sending measure to Trump for enactment.
MARCH 28 – Coronavirus Bill Lets Struggling Americans Tap Retirement Money.
MARCH 29 – Stimulus Package Brings Relief to Most Student-Loan Borrowers.
MARCH 30 – Bielat Santore & Company shares financial spreadsheet to help restaurants compute Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Loan Forgiveness.
MARCH 31 – Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act is released.
APRIL 1 – SBA Announces Small Businesses May Apply for PPP Loans Starting Friday, April 3rd; Independent Contractors and Self-Employed Workers, April 10th.
APRIL 2 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases First Virtual Video Interview in Weekly “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series Featuring Angelo DiCapua, MJ’s Restaurants
APRIL 3 – Bank of America Becomes First Bank to Accept PPP Loan Application
APRIL 4 – NJEDA Announces Application Launch Date for Loan Program for Monday, April 13th
APRIL 5 – The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation Projects the Date of Peak Hospital Use National and Within Individual States; NJ’s Peak is April 18th
APRIL 6 – Wells Fargo Reaches its Capacity of $10 Billion
APRIL 7 – Treasury Makes Coronavirus Loan Terms Less Favorable
APRIL 8 – The IRC Calls on Congress for Better Stimulus Terms for Independent Restaurants
APRIL 9 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases Second Interview of “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series Featuring Chef David Burke
APRIL 10 – Governor Phil Murphy Announced Insurance Premium Grace Periods
APRIL 11 – Payroll Protection Loan Funds Are Running Low
APRIL 12 – An Unprecedented Easter
APRIL 13 – U.S. Weights When to Restart Economy
APRIL 14 – Trump Pushes to Bring Back Entertainment Tax Deductions
APRIL 15 – Republicans Press Trump to Restart Economy
APRIL 16 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases Third Interview of “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series
APRIL 17 – Trump Slams Pelosi, Schumer
APRIL 18 – 7.5 Million Small Businesses
APRIL 19 – U.S. Banks Seek Term Changes
APRIL 20 – Insurance Companies are Wrongfully Denying Business Interruption Coverage
APRIL 21 – White House, Congress Reach Deal
APRIL 22 – Senate Approves Relief
APRIL 23 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases Fourth Interview of “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series
APRIL 24 – 21 Ways Restaurants Could Change Forever
APRIL 25 – America Needs a Real Small Business Survival Plan
APRIL 26 – See Which States Are Reopening
APRIL 27 – New Jersey Governor Unveils Road Map to Reopening State
APRIL 28 – Georgia Restaurants Opened Their Doors
APRIL 29 – New Jersey Governor to Reopen Parks, Golf Courses
APRIL 30 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases Fifth Interview of “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series
MAY 1 – New Jersey – New York Residents Losing Patience
MAY 2 – Virtual Kentucky Derby
MAY 3 – Relaxed Rules and Warmer Weather Tests States
MAY 4 – Bielat Santore & Company Conducting New Restaurant Industry Survey for Restaurant Professionals
MAY 5 – There’s No Timetable to Reopen N.J.
MAY 6 – Delivering When It Matters
MAY 7 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases Seventh Interview of “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series
MAY 8 – Pizzerias Are the Most Popular Restaurants
MAY 9 – The Story of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Founder Ruth Fertel
MAY 10 – Mother’s Day 2020 Restaurant Deals
MAY 11 – Dozens of States Have Started Reopening
MAY 12 – What to Expect as Restaurants Begin Reopening
MAY 13 – New Jersey to Reopen
MAY 14 – Bielat Santore & Company Releases Eighth Interview of “Thursday Restaurant Rap” Series
MAY 15 – How to Sell Your Business