It’s a loss for the entire community when a restaurant closes, but why does it seem to keep happening?

When your favorite neighborhood restaurant shuts its doors for good, it feels like more than just losing a place to eat. It’s a loss for the community and a reminder that the Los Angeles you know is changing. As more restaurants keep closing, the Los Angeles you have grown used to with familiar food and go-to spots becomes a faint memory while the next trendy thing sprouts in its place. Whether it was the pandemic, wildfires, real estate prices, creative risk, the economy, or modern attention spans, restaurants face one battle after another. 

In 2025 alone, Los Angeles lost over 100 restaurants and bars, including Michelin-starred Gucci Osteria, Shibumi and neighborhood classics like Guerrilla Tacos and Post & Beam, according to Forbes, showing even a Michelin star isn’t enough to keep doors open. From iconic Mexican restaurants, like Cactus Taquería in Hollywood, Burrito King in Echo Park and Sky’s Gourmet Tacos on Pico Boulevard, to historic places that feel like they’ve been around forever, like Cole’s French Dip and Taix French Restaurant, the farewells seem to never stop.

When restaurants close, not only do you lose a beloved restaurant, but people lose their jobs. According to the New York Times, 18,700 restaurant jobs were lost in L.A. between July 2019 and July 2025. 

We all know COVID-19 and the pandemic were one reason lots of businesses had to close, but so were the 2025 wildfires. As fires raged, businesses burned and people had to evacuate their homes, restaurant workers did too. The businesses that were salvaged experienced an unprecedented reduction in revenue as people struggled to rebuild; they could not come into work, and they were not going out to eat.

Another major reason for L.A. restaurant closures is real estate. Housing isn’t the only cost that keeps rising. Restaurant owners also face rising commercial rents, and landlords may significantly increase lease costs when contracts expire. When older buildings are demolished and replaced with newer developments, independent restaurateurs often struggle to afford the higher rents.

Creative chefs want to make something their own and make a name for themselves, but that can be risky if they aren’t confident it will draw enough customers. This leads them to rely on mass-producing crowd-pleasing foods to make sure they can pay the bills. Additionally, landlords have recently begun to ask for a percentage of restaurant sales as part of the rent, so they want restaurants to sell more expensive food so they can take a larger cut, but then fewer people want to eat somewhere that empties their wallet.

The economy, of course, is another factor and what takes the blame for not being able to afford anything. When essentials, like rent, utilities, groceries, gas and everything else cost more, people need to be able to survive before they think of going out for food or ordering takeout. The American middle class has been shrinking, as shown by nearly half of all consumer spending done by the top 10% wealthiest individuals. As a result, old and new restaurants alike want to cater to this demographic rather than the average consumer because they know the wealthy can afford it.

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Attention spans are also growing shorter. Most restaurants get better over time as they grow their customer base, but nowadays, it’s all about what is hot and trendy now, not later. People are more likely to go to the matcha place or Korean BBQ they saw on TikTok instead of the taco shop around the corner that doesn’t even have a website. If people can’t find a restaurant on the phones they spend their whole life on, they can’t see them, so they fade away.

Now, it feels like you have to spend money to keep your favorite places alive, but you don’t have the money to do that for every restaurant; then they can’t afford to stay afloat and close, so people lose their jobs and it happens all over again in a never-ending cycle. Trends come and go; people want a place that sticks around, but that can’t happen without their help. So how can you try to keep your favorite spots in business? 

If you already have a favorite restaurant, stay loyal to it and keep going back there. You can be smart with your spending. Skip third-party delivery apps, like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub, that charge up to 30% in commissions to call ahead or order in person instead. Stop in for a light lunch that usually costs less than dinner entrees every once in a while. Buy gift cards for friends and family, or even just yourself when things are slower. When you’re going out with friends somewhere, suggest the restaurant you trust so that the people you know can spread the word. Lastly, if they have a Yelp or online presence, help them out and leave reviews that can draw in new crowds.

L.A. restaurants are only going to keep closing as everything gets more expensive, but you can do your best to help them hold on.