WASHINGTON D.C., DC — A record number of Washington, D.C., restaurants have closed this year, according to a new report from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, as owners grapple with rising costs, higher wages, and mounting labor uncertainty.
The report shows 92 restaurants across the District were closed as of November, a record, continuing a year-over-year increase in closures. Industry leaders point to inflation, minimum wage hikes, and recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity as key pressures squeezing already thin margins.
“This has been one of the most difficult years yet,” the report states, noting that even the traditionally busy holiday season has offered little relief for many operators…