WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa's restaurants and bars are being devastated by the COVID-19 coronavirus shut-downs.
"At this point we project we've lost probably 10 percent restaurants and bars in the state. If that date of open continues to push out to June 1st we expect that to jump to 18 percent" says Iowa Restaurant Association President Jessica Dunker.
She says shut-downs that go until July could drive 25 percent of the state's restaurants out of business.
Dunker also says bars and restaurants across the state are having to get creative in using up some of the perishable ingredients they've already paid for.
"With some menu engineer and creative chefs, they're taking those ingredients and translating them into something that works really well in a meal pack for a family. They still use up the inventory and patrons still get great, interesting stuff" she says.
Dunker says coronavirus shut-downs have cost the industry as much as 80 percent of it's business. She says restaurants are doing what they can right now through delivery and take-out meals to bring in enough revenue to cover their costs and maintain brand recognition.