, and Microsoft Research, has shed light on the impact of anti-China sentiments on Asian restaurants. The study found that at the onset of thepandemic, anti-China fervor fueled consumer discrimination, leading to a significant loss of $7.4 billion in revenue for Asian restaurants in 2020.
“The Covid-19 pandemic originated in China,” said Krupenkin. “Many actors in US politics and media, especially those that were ideologically conservative, emphasized the connection between covid and China as a way of placing blame for the pandemic. At the same time, there was a sharp increase in incidents of discrimination and violence against Asian-Americans.”
There were political aspects to the downturn in business, according to the team. A range of data found that anti-Asian discrimination was stronger in areas that had a higher percentage of residents who voted for Donald Trump in 2016. The team – which also included Julia Lee of the University of Michigan and David Rothschild of Microsoft Research – was surprised to find that anti-China bias among consumers also affected restaurants serving cuisine from other Asian cultures.