As restaurants face limited capacity for at least two weeks, owners and managers are wondering if their businesses are going to survive.
Over the weekend, Gov. Charlie Baker limited restaurants and most other businesses in the state to 25 percent capacity to slow the increasing spread of coronavirus. Pandemic restrictions have already hurt restaurants and Leo Keka, owner of Alba Prime Steak & Seafood in Quincy, said these latest cuts to capacity could be devastating.
“Our restaurant has about 480 seats so we can probably seat about 100 people right now,” Keka said. “Obviously, I don’t know how we’re going to make a living.”
In an attempt to help his employees make ends meet Keka gave 15 percent of every gift card purchased to his employees — totaling more than $30,000.
Keka said he’s hoping to keep his staff working during the rollback, but other restaurant owners said they could not.
“We’ve had to cut so much staff immediately because with 35 people, we really don’t need everyone still,” said Lauren Rizzotti, of Fowler House Cafe, who said she’s had to turn potential customers away because of the capacity limits. “It’s kind of hard to know what to do and how to do it in the nicest way possible.”
Bob Luz, president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said no restaurant will be able to make money under these conditions.
“When we’re restricted like this it really becomes very challenging to have it make any financial sense at all,” Luz said. “So as a result, I think a few restaurants are taking a two-week holiday and probably going to open up on the other side.”
Knowing the reduced capacity will last at least two weeks, restaurant owners are now pleading with the public to help them stay alive.
“Please help us,” Keka said. “Come in every day, as much as you can…”
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