Fresno, Clovis order city restaurants to close dining rooms due to coronavirus
Restaurants in Fresno and Clovis were ordered to close their dining rooms Tuesday, though they can sell food via takeout and delivery.
Bars are also ordered closed and the cities plan to enforce the closures with police and code enforcement officers.
Restaurants were already taking a big hit from a drop in business.
“It’s crippling,” said Raul Gutierrez Jr., owner of Papi’s Mex Grill at Champlain Drive and Shepherd Avenue. “A lot of restaurants, they’re going to suffer and they may close.”
Many restaurant owners across the Fresno area were scrambling to step up their takeout business – including some who have never done takeout before.
Guadalajara Restaurant on Weber Avenue in Fresno was open Tuesday morning before the closure order, but then decided to close its dining room by midday, said restaurant manager Richard Garcia, whose parents own the restaurant.
“Business is really down. Oh, man, I think it’s more than 80% down,” he said. “Usually we got a good breakfast rush and today it’s nothing. This whole week has been real slow.”
Guadalajara had wanted to stay open “just in case somebody comes in” – maybe the workers from the nearby railroad – but Garcia said the state recommendations compelled owners to close.
Guadalajara usually has a healthy catering business, but all those events have been canceled. Its concession stand at the Save Mart Center is closed, too.
“A lot of our event staff, there’s no work for them,” Garcia said. “Here at the restaurant, we’re giving people four hours a day just to keep them busy.”
The part-time workers weren’t getting any hours at all, he said.
Takeout
Restaurant owners who are closing dining rooms are scrambling to step up their takeout business. Many added curbside service where workers walk food to a person’s car. Even breweries are selling containers of beer to go.
Still, takeout doesn’t make up for a room full of customers.
“It’s hard to make up the margins when you’re not selling alcohol or sodas or drinks,” said Gutierrez, who said business was down about 40% at Papi’s.
Workers have it tough
Closing a dining room also puts the squeeze on servers who rely on tips for much of their income. When dining rooms close, some restaurants will have to lay off servers. Some will be able to find other work for servers inside the restaurant, but the workers won’t have the same tips they’re used to.
Restaurant workers can get unemployment benefits if their hours are reduced or they are laid off. Workers who are sick or quarantined are also eligible for short-term disability. The governor has waived the usual one-week waiting period.
But unemployment payments only account for servers’ hourly pay, not their tips, said Cracked Pepper Bistro owner Vatche Moukhtarian. Tips account for about 75% of their income, he said.
“They really depend on their tips to survive,” he said. “On 25% of what they’re making? I don’t know how they’re going to do it. I’m concerned. They’re my family.”
How to help
For people who want to support their local eateries, restaurateurs have some advice.
Order takeout and pick it up from the restaurant. But do it by calling the restaurant directly to order. Most will run the food to your car.
They say to avoid food delivery services because they take 20% to 30% of the sale from restaurants.
And leave a tip, even though it’s takeout. Some restaurants are sharing tips among workers.
Changes
Many restaurants are changing things up to make takeout easier for customers.
Many are adding affordable family-size meals, often with discounts.
Guadalajara, for example, is selling $25 meals that feed four or five people. You can get 12 tacos or 12 enchiladas with 32 ounces of rice, 32 ounces of beans and chips and salsa.
Since expensive steaks don’t always travel well, 13 Prime Steak is developing a takeout menu with affordable meals that are easy to reheat like meatloaf.
Cracked Pepper Bistro has never done takeout orders and plans to start as soon as the containers they ordered come in.
Tuesday morning, Batter Up Pancakes at Cedar and Nees avenues was doing takeout orders for the first time. Normally, they’re too busy to bother with them.
The breakfast restaurant’s entire staff was working, handling takeout orders of meals like meat lover omelets, vegan pancakes and cinnamon rolls.
Co-owner Cristina Colla said she wasn’t sure they’re selling enough breakfasts to cover payroll, but planned to pay employees, anyway. Tips are being split among all the workers.
Although its hard to explain to regular customers that they can’t eat in, most understand, she said.
“They’re happy that we’re still offering to-go,” she said. “It’s definitely not all rainbows and sunshine and sprinkles, but we’re trying to make the best out of the situation.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 1:55 PM.
