Eatery departs Big Boy chain to avoid restrictions

An owner of a restaurant in Michigan’s Thumb Region said Friday that the franchisee has split from its corporate office and changed its name after refusing to stop seating customers as part of state restrictions to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Customers on Friday were greeted with “Sandusky Diner” instead of “Sandusky Big Boy,” which the restaurant was called for 35 years.

It was one of four eateries cited this week for violating the state’s Nov. 15 order. Three other establishments, including one of the restaurants, also had their liquor licenses suspended.

Big Boy’s corporate office told the owners of the Sandusky restaurant they had 24 hours to comply with the state’s order, said Troy Tank, part owner and operations manager for the restaurant.

“We had already decided we weren’t going to do that,” Tank said. “We would be open only for carry-out. We were not in a position to do that again. We had already done it for three months earlier in quarantine.”

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced limits on businesses amid a surge of COVID-19 cases that has led to increased hospitalizations and deaths. A public health order also restricts gatherings.

The restrictions forced Michigan high schools and colleges to halt in-person classes, while entertainment businesses such as casinos, movie theaters and bowling alleys would close for at least three weeks.

Whitmer also urged the public to “double down” with precautions to avoid a shelter-in-place order similar to what was instituted in the spring.

On Friday, Michigan reported more than 341,900 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 8,900 deaths due to the virus since the start of the pandemic.