A BITE OUT OF BUSINESS
Ban on dining in hurts restaurants; some suffer steep drop in revenue
The Diaz family finds itself working in unprecedented circumstances almost immediately after taking over the Hoffman House restaurant in Uptown Kingston.
The restaurant, in an 18thcentury stone house on North Front Street, reopened just last Thursday under the new ownership of Francisco Diaz. Four days later, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated that, because of the coronavirus outbreak, restaurants in the state can do only takeout and delivery business.
“We are doing our best,” said Diaz’s son Pedro, who manages the restaurant. He said the restaurant is promoting its delivery service on social media but that it could take a while for people to think of the business the same way they do pizzerias and Chinese restaurants.
Pedro Diaz — whose father served as chef at the restaurant for 30 years under longtime former owners Pat and Ginny Bradley — said business was decent on Tuesday, St. Patrick’s Day, when a number of customers ordered corned beef
and cabbage meals. But sales overall have dropped by about half, and some staff hours have had to be cut as a result.
No one has been let go, he said, and the menu has not changed.
In Rhinebeck, business was virtually nonexistent at Foster’s Coach House on the first day of the dinein ban, said Emily Dam, a manager at the Montgomery
Street (Route 9) restaurant and bar.
“As of yet, we’re not getting any orders,” Dam said at lunchtime Wednesday. “Maybe tonight will be better.”
Dam said Foster’s always has had some takeout customers but that most like to dine in because of the atmosphere and familiar faces.
In Saugerties, Miss Lucy’s Kitchen on Partition Street is trying to adapt to
the reality of offering only takeout and delivery service, and general manager Sarah Rodland said staff cuts have been necessary.
“We know there are wait staff and bartenders who don’t have a savings account; it’s pretty devastating,” Rodland said. “If you do have an income stream, and aren’t being laid off, please use your money to shop at local businesses and
order takeout.”
Even some restaurants that normally depend on takeout orders for much of their business, like Nana’s Creative Cafe on Mill Hill Road in Woodstock, have seen their sales drop as their regular customers stay away and tourism withers.
“We’re trying to figure out what people are wanting, so we have what they want,” owner Rachel Candel
said. “The last thing I want to do is waste food.”
Also, Candel said, “we’re happy we have something to do. At least we get to spend the days with each other instead of secluded in our homes.”
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