D.C.’s Bar & Restaurant Industry Suffer After Trump City Takeover
President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., has been met with criticism from local leaders. Now, some in the bar and restaurant industry are reporting that Trump’s new order is having an impact, with patrons electing to stay home instead.
Local outlet WUSA spoke with a popular bar in the U St. area, Crush Dance Bar, speaking with co-owner Mark Rutstein. Rustein said the presence of the militarized police force in front of his establishment moved his customers to not patronize his bar.
“They were checking people’s licenses, taillights and seat belts with immigration off to the side and homeland investigation off to the side,” said Rutstein. “These last few days have been the worst sales we’ve had since we opened,” Rutstein shared with the outfit.
WUSA also analyzed data from online reservation platform OpenTable and discovered that reservations in some of the city’s establishments are down by as much as 31 percent. On Monday, the popular Summer Restaurant Week kicked off, a time where visitors can enjoy two to three-course lunches and three-course meals at a discounted price across some of the city’s dining spots. Given the timing and the razor-thin margins bars and restaurants operate on, the timing of Trump’s order couldn’t be worse for some.
We also were out and about in D.C. this weekend, and the heavy presence of military jeeps, armed guardsmen, and checkpoint zones on random corners presented an air of dread. Trump ordered the mobilization of National Guard troops in response to what his administration presented as a city under siege, despite crime numbers lower than they’ve been for years.
—
Photo: Getty
