I went to a local restaurant that is struggling after 115 years in operation. I won't name them but I'm sure some of you can guess. This was my experience.
I tried to order online this Mother's Day morning. I chose curbside pickup and placed my order........3 times! When i got down there not only was there not curbside pickup but it seems my order did not go through any of the 3 times. They did not have a line to pickup orders that were placed online. Several people in line had the same problem. 75% of the customers in the store were not wearing any protective masks or gloves. All of the employees were though. This was the longest I have been out of the house and most people I've been around in 2 months. I'll tell ya, I won't be going back until there is a vaccine.
BTW, The Reuben's were delicious. The one star rating was for current situation.
[Edited on 5/11/2020 by LeglizHemp]
I feel your hunger pain. I have tried very hard to support some of the local, mom and pop types restaurants. Most have been open for call-in/carry out. Some advertised that they would be open for such business - several are operating under varying hours. Breakfast places (including fast food drive thru's) that use to be open by 7:00 are now not open until after 8:00 (or later). If you can be open for drive-thru, I don't see why your hours have to change. Most of the chains are locally owned franchises. The Chick-Fi-let guy is losing his lunch (actually, his breakfast) to the local purveyor of the golden arches - right next door and serving by 6:30! I'm doing my best to support, but it seems that some aren't trying as hard as I am. Good luck to them all, just the same.
Yesterday my son picked up a Mother's Day order at a popular Italian restaurant here. He said there were 30 cars there when he got there and our food was delayed 30 minutes later than it was supposed to be.
I have picked up food maybe 16 or so times the last 2 months. I have found that the ones who typically did curbside pickup already are pretty good at it. The ones that have either increased curbside or it is all together new to them haven't operated very smooth. I've also seen several delays with food being ready on time. Excluding Mother's Day when preorders were required days in advance, on a normal day, it is probably hard for a restaurant to know what staff level they need to have on a given day...some days they are probably slow and other days they get slammed. So I sympathize with what they are going through. These places are losing money every day and the workers that survive on tips, almost all of which aren't even there in the take-out only model. For whoever is working the register in person when I go in to pay or for the online-pay tip category I've tried to be way more generous then I ever have been for take out food. I just appreciate they are open and trying.
I certainly tip (OVER-tip) for the carry-outs. Here in my coastal/resort town nearly everybody works in the food/hospitality industry. But back to the local Chick-fi-let: They do not, WILL not open until 8:00 am - even if there are cars lined up around the building and the staff is in place. They will not open at 7:59 with customer lined up. I really just don't get it.
