A record number of D.C. restaurants shut down last year, according to the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, and 2026 may not be much better.
D.C.’s thriving restaurant scene took a big hit in 2025, and the head of the city’s restaurant association is warning that 2026 could be another rough year.
A record number of eateries in the city shut down last year, according to the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. President Shawn Townsend said 92 restaurants closed in 2025, up from 73 in 2024, and almost double the number of closings in 2022.
He said it’s no secret why 2025 was such a bad year.
“Tariffs and inflation and other things that impact the industry — the federal workforce, the increase in law enforcement presence,” he said.
Townsend said in order to right the ship for the restaurant industry, the priority of city and government leaders must be to create new jobs in D.C.
“If we don’t find things to replace those bodies, that foot traffic cannot come back,” he said.
Restaurants openings have also slowed, down 30% in 2025, and Townsend said there will likely be fewer openings than normal in 2026. He said the restaurants that do open will not be what we’ve been used to in the thriving D.C. food scene.
“We’ll be seeing less full-service restaurants. It’s that middle market that’s being squeezed right now, and I think if things don’t change, we’ll continue to see that middle market vanish,” Townsend said
Townsend said getting a great meal in D.C. has never been a problem and is hopeful that innovation allows that to continue.
“We’ve got to figure out how to adapt, we’ve been good at adapting for so long. I think this is just one other phase where we all have to figure out how to move forward,” Townsend said.