*By Christian Smith* As the partial federal government shutdown enters enters its 27th day, American businesses are beginning to feel the strain. For Fat Brands Inc. ($FAT) ー which owns a number of fast food brands Fatburger, among them ー the consequences of the shutdown are slowly trickling up to corporate, but president and CEO Andy Wiederhorn said franchisees are thus far bearing the brunt of the shutdown. "I think it's really much harder on the franchise operators because they're trying to build stores they've already started to build, or they've got a lease signed up and now they need their loan to get going for construction," Wiederhorn said Wednesday in an interview with Cheddar. With the Small Business Administration closed, small businesses are unable to access SBA-backed loans. The SBA usually manages over 300 loans each day, which [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/01/11/congresswoman-calls-trump-restart-small-business-lending-level-anxiety-is-unprecedented/?utm_term=.f50572777f74) reported amounts to roughly $200 million worth of loans for small and midsize businesses. Small business owners in need of capital during the shutdown must turn to other sources of funding, such as non-SBA-backed loans, which generally come with higher interest rates. But Wiederhorn noted that every sector of business ー even the major players ー is experiencing negative side effects. "It's affecting everybody, not just small business, but large business," he said. "It's really very difficult." For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/fat-brands-inc-ceo-explains-how-the-government-shutdown-is-impacting-americas-small-businesses).

Share:
More In Politics
Stocks Rally to End Friday Near Session Highs
Christopher Wolfe, CIO at First Republic Private Wealth Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he says he is surprised that the first quarter was the first down period in a long time, but adds that the second quarter could be difficult with a lot of volatility expected.
Major Indexes End Wednesday Near Session Lows
Jeffrey Small, President of Arbor Financial, joins Chedar News' Closing Bell, where he breaks down why stocks closed near session lows on Wednesday and tells viewers what to expect ahead of next earnings season.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee Signs Uber, Lyft Driver Pay Guarantee Into Law
Uber and Lyft drivers are cruising in Washington State, the first U.S. state to set an earnings standard for drivers for the ride-hailing companies. Governor Jay Inslee signed the new minimum pay standard into law Thursday, which also gives drivers access to perks like paid sick time and family medical leave. John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Cannabis Legalization Bill Passes House Committee
Jeremy Berke, senior reporter on the cannabis industry for Business Insider, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss developments in cannabis legalization at the federal level. He helps break down the bill and what legalization efforts might look like in the Senate.
How the New 'Don't Say Gay' Law Will Impact Floridians
Selene San Felice, Tampa Bay reporter for Axios Local, and Jennifer Levi, director of the Transgender Rights Project at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) join Cheddar Politics to discuss the impact of the new law targeting LGBTQ communities in Florida schools.
Russian Space Chief: Sanctions Could Imperil Space Station
The head of Russia’s space program says the future of the ISS hangs in the balance after the U.S., EU, and Canadian space agencies missed a deadline to meet Russian demands for lifting sanctions on Russian enterprises and hardware.
Load More