Coronavirus is ‘crippling’ Coast restaurants. And busiest season’s almost here, owners say
Restaurant owners have done what they can to stay open and keep their employees working, yet as the coronavirus spreads across the Coast, many are closing or going to take-out and delivery only.
The Mississippi State Department of Health on Friday recommended all bars and dining rooms close statewide, but before that many restaurants had closed theirs voluntarily.
“It’s a huge decision. There’s none bigger than the decision deciding to close your business,” said Ron Savell, who owns or franchises 18 Mugshots and three Patio 44 restaurants in Mississippi and across the Gulf Coast.
The stress, worry, wondering, the ethics, the cost of overhead — “It came down on me yesterday,” he told the Sun Herald on Thursday.
Savell said business was down 60%-70% in the week since the first coronavirus was reported in Mississippi.
He said he felt compelled to not be part of the problem and closed restaurants. “If everything doesn’t stop we’re not going to get rid of this thing,” he sad.
“We decided to close for the safety of our employees and customers,” said Eileen Ezell, one of the owners of Mary Mahoney’s restaurant in downtown Biloxi. They followed the direction of the casinos, which closed at midnight Tuesday.
“When they open, we’ll open,” she said.
What restaurants are open?
Trying to make a list of which restaurants are open or closed or doing only take-out has been nearly impossible because it changes so quickly.
Vestige in Ocean Springs is open for now and has been “decently busy,” said owner Alex Perry.
“I think we will be fine,” he said. “Lots of community support.” Yet he worries about the effect as the coronavirus crisis continues.
“To be blunt, it is crippling the industry,” he said. “Make no mistake, you are going to see many small businesses shutter, never to reopen again unless there is some kind of funding or financial relief. I hate to be an alarmist, but I have personally never seen the industry in worse shape. “
White Pillars restaurant in Biloxi also is open and owner/chef Austin Sumrall said they are taking extraordinary precautions to do what they can to stay open.
“We will be removing tables, so guests will feel more comfortable with more room and offering take out too,” he said. “Our primary responsibility is to make sure our employees get a paycheck.”
He also worries about the weeks ahead.
“I don’t think the general public realizes how bad this could be for some restaurants,” he said. “Our losses already can be counted in the tens of thousands of dollars.”
Takeout and delivery
“As of now, we are not open inside the Greenhouse, but guests can sit in the yard, at a safe distance from each other of course,” said Kait Sukiennik with Greenhouse on Porter in Ocean Springs and the new Greenhouse Biloxi.
“We are offering curbside pickup, take out and online ordering,” she said. “We will stay open as long as we can and as long as people support us, and continue to love our biscuits.” Greenhouse now closes at 2 p.m. each day and has reduced staff hours by 75%, she said, but has not laid anyone off yet.
Waitr, one of the most popular delivery services on the Coast, is working with the Coast restaurants it serves to offer free delivery and marketing programs. The company is offering “no-contact” delivery to keep a distance between customers and delivery drivers, and supplying drivers with gloves.
Orders can be placed online or through the Waitr app.
At a time when it is so important to support local businesses, social media posts are asking people to buy gift cards online for their favorite restaurants to use later.
Waveland sent a press release updating the situation there. S&B’s is open normal hours, the city reported. Taco Bell and McDonald’s are open for drive-through only. Sonic is open and business is steady. Waffle House is open but business is slow. Yum Long is closed.
How long will this last?
Easter is April 12 and it’s possible that many restaurants will be closed.
Easter buffets are typically crowded at the Coast casinos, but at Mary Mahoney’s, Easter is not as big a day as Mother’s Day, Ezell said and then added, “Hopefully we’ll get a Mother’s Day.”
On Thursday, a crew was still at the restaurant preparing meals for the Mary Mahoney’s employees to grab and go.
The employees at Mugshots and Patio 44 are the major consideration, Savell said.
“Luckly this week is payroll,” he said, so employees will get a check. He is encouraging staff to file for unemployment and will keep them updated on any government programs that will provide a payment.
“We have no idea how long it’s going to last,” he said.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
