Most people are so desensitized to ads that they barely register. So the advertisers ramp up the attention-grabbing. Repeat. So when I actually see an advertisement it nearly knocks me out of my chair because I'm not desensitized anymore.
Whether the restaurant remains profitable is beside the point. If you can demonstrate that even one customer chose not to visit your restaurant as a result of my lies then I could be liable for defamation.
Sentences can include upward and downward departures from the guidelines based on the circumstances of the case. It's also important to remember that the guidelines are non-binding on judges.
Imagine if you opened a restaurant, and I went around lying to everyone that you spit in the food. As a result, your restaurant loses business. Shouldn't you have legal recourse to prevent me from spreading such lies about your business, and to recoup the losses you incurred?
I don't mean to suggest that Musk has a valid case under the law, only to point out that the law in question is actually quite reasonable and necessary.
Now imagine all the errors they've made in subjects you're not an expert in.