‘One thing after another’: 2025 was a brutal year for D.C. restaurants: A battered restaurant industry is bracing for continued challenges in 2026

“Whether it’s federal government whiplash, ICE, the increased law enforcement presence, labor or cost of rent, at least one of those things have impacted bottom lines to the point where you weren’t sure if this is sustainable.” - Shawn Townsend, Former Director of D.C.'s Office of Nightlife