Coronavirus restrictions are wrongly targeting restaurants, Boston restauranteur says

Boston Chops owner Chris Coombs argues coronavirus restrictions have targeted restaurants, when they are actually not a significant source of virus cases.

As new restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus continue to stifle small businesses across the country, one restaurateur is encouraging more gatherings at restaurants.

Chris Coombs, the owner of Boston-based restaurant, Boston Chops, told FOX Business on Tuesday that restrictions have focused on restaurants and bars, but the more significant problem is “unstructured house gatherings.”

"I would encourage gatherings at restaurants at this time because they are an awful lot safer than house parties," he told host Stuart Varney while commenting on the states' 10 p.m. curfew.

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Coombs’ comments come as the U.S. nears 15 million total confirmed coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

On Monday, Michigan restaurant owners told Varney they were banding together to fight back against the governors' unjust orders. But when Varney asked Coombs on Tuesday whether there was a "revolt" happening in Massachusetts, he replied: "No... we are really focused on the data," adding that only a fraction of the cases originated in restaurants.

“We are trying to spread the messaging about how our environments are safe, they’re structured… We like to follow rules. We are following the state guidelines and it’s working here,” he said.

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Boston Chops and Deuxave owner Chris Coombs says the coronavirus has forced him to lay off his entire staff.

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Coombs, a Food Network star who appeared on the cooking competition show, “Chopped,” has also been vocal about the negative impact the coronavirus outbreak has had on the restaurant industry. In March, he told FOX Business his restaurants, which include top-ranked steakhouse Boston Chops and Boston Urban Hospitality sister eateries dbar and Deuxave, had taken a major hit and led to more than 230 restaurant employees being laid off.

Coombs went on to say that he believes full-service restaurants are on the "verge of extinction" if they don't get another relief package.

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FOX Business' Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.