FRAMINGHAM, MA — During the early months of the COVID-19 global pandemic, many restaurants struggled to stay in business as eat-in dining was prohibited by emergency orders from state and local officials.

To avoid the chain-reaction of business failure, followed by employee layoffs which could drive unemployment and a further economic downturn a grant program known as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) was established as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The RFF is administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide funding “to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open.”

Restaurants could receive funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss, (up to $10 million per business!)

Below is a list of some of the Framingham based restaurant operators who received grants from the RRF:

• AMOUNT – CORPORATION NAME, (Restaurant Name)
• $673,325 – 5 Star Restaurant Group Inc, (Samba Steak & Sushi)
• $388,529 – Paul’s Restaurant Inc, (Bella Costa Restaurant)
• $364,096 – XZH Inc (Samba West / China Gourmet of Framingham)
• $229,996 – Tina’s Group Inc. (Imperial China)
• $128,959 – J&M Diner Inc. (J & M Diner)
• $126,370 – Shri Ram Inc. (Subway, Rt. 9)
• $103,981 – Pueblito Paisa Inc. (Pueblito Paisa Colombia Restaurant)
• $103,631 – Frescafe Inc. (Frescafe)
• $97,578 – N&S Pizza Company Inc. (Neko’s of New York)
• $81,383 – Biryani Pot LLC (Biryani Pot)
• $79,069 – Chikama LLC (Nzuko Restaurant)
• $39,905 – Hospitality Solutions Services (kous-kous)
• $7,591 – Vishva Inc. (Mad Willie’s)
• $5,785 – Maya Inc. (The Sub-way)

RRF recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses by March 11, 2023.

Eligible uses include the following specific (pandemic related) expenses:

• Business payroll costs (including sick leave)
• Payments on any business mortgage obligation
• Business rent payments (note: this does not include prepayment of rent)
• Business debt service (both principal and interest; note: this does not include any prepayment of principal or interest)
• Business utility payments
• Business maintenance expenses
• Construction of outdoor seating
• Business supplies (including protective equipment and cleaning materials)
• Business food and beverage expenses (including raw materials)
• Covered supplier costs
• Business operating expenses

In addition many of the same business also received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding from the Federal government.

At the end of May (2021), Massachusetts announced the launch of the “Let’s Go Out” campaign, an effort to raise public awareness of the importance of supporting local restaurants which are an integral part of daily life and a key driver of economic activity for “downtowns and main streets”.

The launch of the $1.9 million “Let’s Go Out” campaign was timed to coincide with the lifting of public health restrictions in Massachusetts and is scheduled to run throughout the summer, through September (2021).

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Source(s): U.S. Federal Government RRF and PPP data, Mass.gov and MA Sec. of State corporations database.