Food business owners say trading conditions this summer have been extremely tough, with many just hanging on by a thread, according to the Restaurant Association of Ireland.
Almost 600 restaurants and cafés closed in the last 12 months, with more closures expected at the end of the Summer due to the fall in spending power.
Park-63 Restaurant in Holycross, county Tipperary is the most recent business in the region to announce its closure.
Mike Ryan of the Munster branch of the R-A-I says while restaurants may have busy days, costs have risen exponentially.
"We are seeing an awful lot of cafés and smaller eateries going first.
"It's not crying wolf - I know people will walk past a restaurant on a Friday and Saturday night and be told 'we're all full'.
"But at the end of the day, there are seven days a week to operate," Ryan said.
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