This is upside down. It is absolutely not a landlord's job to assume the business risks of their tenants. Definitely not. If the restaurants declare bankruptc

This is upside down. It is absolutely not a landlord's job to assume the business risks of their tenants. Definitely not. If the restaurants declare bankruptcy, yes, then there is limited ability for them to get their rent, but otherwise, the restaurants 'owe'. It may be a good idea for renters to renegotiate and for smart landlords to take heed. But in general - contracts need to be obligated. It doesn't matter that you view the 'landlord' as 'doing nothing'. Also, in most cases, remember that land has been commoditized, it's not like the 'King' owns everything - the land was purchased for some amount, has a value, it's being 'managed' like any other asset, and if there's competition in this industry (there is a lot), the surpluses are going to be thin, just as thin as any other industry. While there are existential issues about the 'productivity' of real estate, they don't really matter at the most local level, because the most local 'landowner' is just playing in a competitive layer of business like anyone else. So for now - it's best to honor contracts, re-negotiate, and follow the laws. The government may want to intervene in a 'really really smart way' but I don't see how this is perfectly possible.