It came as a necessary precaution but also as quite the blow to Louisiana restaurants: Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday, March 16, that restaurants would be forced to limit restaurant service to takeout and delivery orders only.
Restaurants across the state took to social media to share their delivery menus and sanitation standards—and stories of already having to layoff employees.
We put a callout on 225‘s Instagram stories: We wanted to talk to local restaurants about how the pandemic and its latest restrictions are impacting them. Three restaurants found time to chat with our reporter yesterday, and here’s what they had to say.
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Editor’s note: We are continuing to work on stories about COVID-19’s impact on the Baton Rouge restaurant industry. If you’re a restaurant employee, chef or owner and are willing to talk for a future story, please email us at [email protected].
On keeping the business afloat—and continuing to get food to customers who want it
“It’s definitely stressful. I’m really hopeful that there will be some sort of cut for small businesses. We don’t have anything set aside for a rainy day,” says MJ’s Cafe owner Mary-Brennan Faucheux. “We’re going to get a little more creative about generating income.” One idea she’s working on: stocking coolers with healthy soups patrons can buy to reheat at home. On Tuesday, March 17, the restaurant shut down temporarily so its staff could work on fine-tuning its delivery model.
At local bakery Counterspace BR, owner Sarah Joy Hays is used to hosting birthday parties and baby showers. Those opportunities are becoming increasingly limited. “Being a small business is hard, but [we can be] way more adaptable and can change quickly as needed,” she says. For example: She’s shifting her typically dessert-heavy menu to include more items families need now, like breakfast options and bread for sandwiches.
Rocca Pizzeria executive chef Jourdan Fulbright says the restaurant has seen a dip in sales but a boost in to-go orders, even before the restrictions were announced. The team is working on launching an in-house delivery service soon, complete with tamper-proof bags so they can seal all packaging for deliveries and build customer’s confidence.
On maintaining restaurant cleanliness while preparing delivery orders
“If you are smart in the food industry, you are already washing your hands a ton and wiping things down a ton,” says Counterspace’s Hays. In this time of heightened cleanliness, they’re taking extra measures to wipe down all surfaces and use gloves.
“We’ve always been aware of cleanliness,” agrees MJ’s Cafe’s Faucheux. Her team has been wiping down door knobs, pens, tablets and anything else that gets touched frequently by staff.
At Rocca, employees are required to wash their hands every 20 minutes. When the restaurant was still open Monday, March 16, the team was sanitizing menus after every use.
On building community in a time of social distancing
Restaurants are increasingly offering curbside pickup, which means touch-free payment and decreased contact with restaurant staff and the general public. But does that equate to a less personal dining experience?
“Social distancing doesn’t mean relationships are lost. It just means that we do them smarter and safer,” says Counterspace’s Hays. “We’re trying to think of creative ways to generate and build community in a time where community is the first thing to go.” Hays has started live at-home baking classes on Instagram Live.
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Over at Rocca, the team is already thinking about the greater impacts on industry workers—and trying to think of ways to help its staff financially. “When employees had health problems in the past, we would always take up a collection envelope and make sure the staff had whatever they needed,” Fulbright says. “We care about our employees, our guests and the community-at-large. … We want everyone to be healthy and safe and go through as little financial hardship as possible.”
At MJ’s Cafe, which has always been known for its vegetarian and vegan options, Faucheux has been trying to keep alive conversations about maintaining healthy diets. She’s been posting tips on social media about how people can stay healthy in terms of both habits and diet. “We’re here for the community,” she says. “We’re part of it.”
Click here to read about all the ways you can support local restaurants, and see our list of restaurants providing delivery, takeout and/or curbside pickup options.