LAist is currently doing a segment on this question that seems to come up here a lot. Bret Thompson from Pez Cantina is a guest, and Walter Manzke from République just called in. Well worth a listen if you're interested in what's going on on the business side of the industry in the last several years: https://laist.com/shows/airtalk/socal-braces-for-life-threatening-wind-what-you-need-to-know#more-than-100-restaurants-closed-in-la-last-year-we-check-in-on-the-industry
by spencercross