Money Matters: Hundreds of Colorado restaurants close during COVID-19 pandemic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA) reports that more than 400 Colorado restaurants have been forced to close permanently since the pandemic hit.

The findings are based on a survey that was sent out in May. Overall, the survey found that 3% of restaurants in Colorado have closed their doors.

KRDO's Denver partner station, KUSA, talked the CRA and report that the number of restaurants closed could be even higher than 400 due to some closing before March.

CRA sent out another survey in June and found that capacity limits are restaurants' biggest barrier to recovery.

More than 40% of Colorado restaurants said re-staffing is slow and they had only hired back less than 50% of their staff under current conditions.

CRA reports restaurants that responded to the June survey are worried they will have to close within three months, based on current capacity limits.