Restaurant workers out of work again
Waiters and bartenders are being thrown out of work — again — as governors and local officials shut down indoor dining and drinking establishments to combat the nationwide surge in coronavirus infections that is overwhelming hospitals and dashing hopes for a quick economic recovery. And the timing, just before the holidays, couldn’t be worse.
Restaurant owner Greg Morena in Los Angeles County was trying to figure out his next step after county officials banned inperson dining for at least three weeks, beginning Wednesday. But he was mainly dreading having to notify his employees.
“To tell you, ‘I can’t employ you during the holidays’ to staff that has family and kids, I haven’t figured that part out yet. It’s the heaviest weight that I carry,” said Morena, who had to close one restaurant earlier in the year and has two in operation at the Santa Monica Pier.
Randine Karnitz, a server in Elk River, Minnesota, said her boss laid her off last week after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced that bars, restaurants and gyms would close for four weeks as infections spiked to an all-time high and pushed hospitals to the breaking point.
“‘ Well, your last day is tomorrow. You don’t have a job. You can thank your governor for that,” Karnitz said her boss told her. She said her husband’s hours also have been cut at his manufacturing job, forcing the family to postpone house repairs.
Karnitz, though, said that she supports a shutdown and that people who didn’t take the virus seriously bear much of the blame.
“I just think that if we all would’ve done our part to begin with, we wouldn’t be in this predicament,” she said. “Things are only going to get worse for the service industry before it gets better, unfortunately.”
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Tuesday said he is limiting the number of customers in restaurants, gyms, salons, casinos, malls and other nonessential businesses to 50% of capacity as the state sees a third spike in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Most bars will be restricted to takeout, delivery and outside seating.
Restaurant owners — most of whom underwent shutdowns in the spring and summer — are finding the new round of closings challenging as colder weather sets in. Many are offering curbside pickup but also trying to hold outdoor dining, even if it means setting up shelters or heaters.