Major U.S. restaurant chains are starting to secure government-backed loans that Congress created to protect small businesses during the pandemic, fueling concerns that big corporations will siphon away rapidly dwindling funds.
Potbelly Corp. — the nationwide sandwich shop operator — and Ruth’s Hospitality Group, which runs a chain of steakhouses, are among the large companies that have disclosed receiving the government-backed loans. Before the Covid-19 outbreak, they reported employing thousands of people…