The restaurant industry has permanently lost more than 110,000 eateries and drinking establishments in the over 200 days since the pandemic first brought operations to a halt. According to a new survey from the National Restaurant Association, as of Dec. 2, 17% of establishments in the industry have either closed permanently or had long-term closures. "What these findings make clear is that more than 500,000 restaurants of every business type -- franchise, chain, and independent -- are in an economic free fall"