Omaha restaurants are facing unprecedented challenges in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. Owners have been faced to overhaul their businesses overnight. Bars and dining rooms have been forced to close.

There is no end in sight to the crisis.

What you can do

Restaurant and bar owners are circulating the below post on social media, spearheaded by the owners of Dante Ristorante and Forno. If you are a restaurant or bar owner, share the post on your social media.

Contact our state leaders.

Find out what you, as a restaurant or bar owner, can do. Click this link, or email Michelle Strawhecker at mstrawhecker@dantepizzeria.com for more information.

The Omaha dining industry needs our help. Let’s do our part.

Governor Ricketts, 

We are a group of independent restaurant owners, bar owners, chefs, and farmers who make Omaha one of the top dining destinations in the Midwest. This week, we have all had to make the heavy decision of staying open or closing, without knowing the impact this may have down the road on our businesses or employees. There are too many unknowns and with every decision we make, we are weighing putting our families and employees at tremendous risk. Few workers in Nebraska are more vulnerable than said employees and few businesses are more vulnerable than ours.

Can you imagine Omaha, the home of the College World Series and the host of the annual Berkshire Hathaway event without these dining destinations? Speaking frankly, we will not survive this time of crisis as an industry without immediate, decisive action from the government. If we knew there was real aid available for our teams and a plan for our economic future, that would significantly lessen the burden during this time. We need to save what is an integral part of the Omaha identity – coming together over food. We call upon you today to announce immediately what you plan to do for our workers and for our small businesses. 

Our recommendations: -Immediately support emergency unemployment benefits to all hourly and salaried workers furloughed during this crisis -Eliminate sales and payroll tax immediately -Call for rent and loan adamant for small business owners, employees and workers impacted by the closure of the restaurant industry 
Governor, we elected you and are counting on you to help the hospitality industry of Nebraska. We are at a loss when we are not able to serve others, and we ask you as our leader and voice to serve us during this time. 

Sincerely, 
The Chefs and Restaurant Owners of Omaha