The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) is warning beef could be off the menu in many restaurants if blockades outside meat processing plants continue.
Processors have laid off hundreds of workers in recent weeks amid the ongoing dispute over beef prices.
Demonstrations have continued outside more than a dozen factories this week, despite the agreement reached over the weekend between farming groups and Meat Industry Ireland.
RAICEO Adrian Cummins suggests around 50% of restaurants will not have beef on the menu from next week if the blockades aren't lifted.
He suggested: "We anticipate over the next month - especially from next week - if the blockade isn't lifted that there will be no beef on menus in certain restaurants.
"[With] steak or burger restaurants... we have deep concerns for those businesses."
He added: "We are not looking at trying to source beef from outside Ireland - we have never done so, and we don't intend on doing that.
"What we need is the blockade lifted, the agreement implemented, and we need to make sure that Meat Industry Ireland live up to what they've said they will do."
Meanwhile, Dawn Meats has announced a blockade of its plant in Co Meath has been lifted.
Protesters had been picketing outside the factory in Slane for several weeks.
But Dawn confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the blockade has been removed.
It is the first time one of these demonstrations has ended since the dispute began.
It is understood protesters pulled away because of declining numbers.
In the Dáil on Tuesday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar admitted that the prices offered to farmer are "too low" - but said they are roughly the same across the EU.
"It is a market price - largely a function of supply and demand," he suggested.
He said he believes there is a way forward in the dispute, but insisted factories "need to be allowed reopen" for that to happen.
