As we all begin to change our daily habits to protect our own health and well-being during this crisis, small businesses, like independent restaurants, caterers, and shops, are already seeing an impact on their bottom line.
Like many of you, we here at Good Food Pittsburgh are deeply concerned about the small business owners and employees who will continue to be impacted by this crisis. These businesses are our passion – they’re our beloved haunts, our family favorites, and the homes of so many memories. They depend on customers, and, in an industry where profits are already razor-thin, an interruption in service could be a be a massive blow for many of your favorite restaurants.
While the situation continues to change and we should all stay on top of CDC recommendations, for the time being, public health officials say that dining out (while taking precautions such as frequent hand-washing, staying home if you’re ill, and using hand sanitizer throughout your meal), is still safe, and that take-out and delivery options are less risky. Restaurants in Pittsburgh, like the big Burrito Restaurant Group, have also announced new steps to ensure the health and safety of patrons and staff, like extra cleaning schedules, additional hand sanitizer stations, and ramping up delivery services.
If you’re considering going out and want to find out what your favorite restaurant is doing to secure the safety of guests and staff, call and ask. Restaurant owners want your business, and most are happy to answer any question about your concerns.
Whether or not you decide to continue to dine out at restaurants now in or the weeks to come, there’s still plenty you can do to help make the impact as lessened as possible.
1. Buy a gift card from your favorite spots. For a restaurant, cash flow is incredibly important – and putting some dollars into a restaurant’s account in the form of a gift card can be really helpful.
2. Order takeout or delivery. You’ll greatly reduce your risk of contact, while still supporting the restaurant community. Make sure that you’re washing your hands thoroughly after handling any packaging materials before you eat.
3. Tip well. If you do go out (or even if you’re just ordering takeout), tip a little extra. Most restaurant workers don’t have the option or ability to work from home, and if business begins to halt in the coming weeks, losing their average tips can be devastating.
4. Eat out early, or late. Avoiding peak hours (and the crowds that come with them) can help to reduce your risk of coming in contact with someone who is sick. If it’s an option, consider adjusting your schedule so you can avoid larger groups.
5. Support local events – when they start again. Many local events and festivals have canceled or postponed (and rightly so). But, when they start up again, do what you can to share them with your network and friends. The events industry is being hit especially hard, and recovery is going to take some time. If you purchased tickets for an event that has been canceled, and you’re able to donate the amount of the ticket, instead of getting a refund, please consider doing so. It can really help these venues and event producers.
And if your event was recently canceled and you have a surplus of food available, reach out to our friends at 412 Food Rescue, who will help to connect that food with people who need it.
We’re still in the early days of this crisis, and it’s going to take some time to see what the effects will be. Stay cautious, stay safe, and support your friends, neighbors, and favorite businesses in any way you can.
I liked that you said to order takeout to reduce any risk of contact. My brother is visiting town this weekend and I want him to try the best taco place in our city. I’ll have to see if they do curbside pickup or takeout since it’s his first time here.