It is unsettling to hear about restaurants going into hibernation this winter. There have been a lot of warning signs of the industry’s decline- furloughs, layoffs, restaurant closures, newspaper articles about the struggles restaurants are facing, fundraisers to keep restaurants and workers afloat, and now this news of restaurants going into hibernation.
It is hard for me to imagine a world without restaurants. They are places we break bread and form community. They are places we go to celebrate holidays, or life milestones.
People that own and work in restaurants are part of our community. They sponsor kiddie sports leagues, and have children that go to the local schools.
If you have friends in the restaurant industry, you would know that these are some of the most giving people. The hospitality in restaurants, that restaurant industry folks embody, is kind of like the feeling of sitting down for a meal at your grandmother’s house, where she cooks all your favorite foods.
I do not want to lose restaurants.
I will try to do what I can, as a consumer. My first steps will be to pick up rather than order from apps. If I do delivery, I will order from places where they do the delivery as well- so that the delivery charges and tips go back to the restaurant. I will continue to write reviews and share photos and tips, to get the word out about local gems here:
& Of course, I will be kind and appreciative, when interacting with members of a restaurant’s team. I hope you will consider taking some conscious steps to support restaurants as well, in your own way.
From a social justice standpoint, I am particularly conscious of the food insecurity that people laid off of restaurant jobs and their families face. It goes a long way to connect people to resources. I could probably write another article entirely about this. For now I will just reiterate a prior point: be kind. This is a difficult time for many.
