Read over the article a couple times.
Was interested in the section where the author points to the problem of a worker getting sick, thus putting co-workers at risk. What really interested me was how it leads to paranoia and causes the whole staff to go into panic. Haven’t heard much about that side of the story. Wish the article examined it more.
It’s a good article. I don’t think there’s any 100% morally good options here. If we don’t patronize restaurants, the only other option is cooking ourselves, because we still need to eat. In order to cook, we need to buy groceries, which means that underpaid workers with little protection are going to be putting themselves at risk stocking warehouses and shelves, ringing up our orders or delivering them.
Unless you have multiple months’ worth of provisions at home or own a totally self-sustaining farm and are the only person who tends it, I can’t think of any way to eat right now that doesn’t endanger another person.
Getting food from restaurants doesn’t seem worse than getting groceries in terms of endangering others, because in both cases other people are working in risky conditions. Personally, I’d rather buy from restaurants where at least there’s a smaller number of people working there, and there’s a positive aspect in sustaining a small business at risk of going under.
Stay-home and social distancing orders are not about any one individual avoiding infection, per se, at all. They’re about reducing the transmission rate to avoid overloading hospitals. Workers performing essential services are at a higher risk.
For restaurants, prepay with no-contact pickup is probably the safest for everyone. This is the must comprehensive approach I’ve seen so far:
All meals will be prepared in the Benu kitchen and available for contactless pickup at the gated entrance. Benu is a 5,000-square-foot property and there will be no more than eight staff present at a time, allowing for ample physical distancing. Beyond strict hygiene practices, our team is adhering to protocols for their commute and living situation, mask use, and daily temperature checks.
“The reason we’re still continuing to do takeaway, it’s not because we’re making money,” Pim Techamuanvivit (San Francisco’s Kin Khao and Nari) says, “it’s so we can continue to support our suppliers, the farmers we’ve been working with. Because if we stop using all of the products, where are they going to go?”
This is apropos to nothing, just an observation. We’re doing a little takeout but have stocked up on a lot of groceries over the last couple of weeks and I’m enjoying getting back to cooking at home. Everyone has to do what makes them happy or feels is right for them. But my observation is when we do takeout/delivery I have marveled at how incredibly fresh the food is. I can only surmise it’s because it’s the restaurants’ only business right now and there is such a demand that the meat & produce are getting prepared and sent out the door as fast as it comes in. 
Interesting observation.
I have been (mostly) very impressed with the take out we’ve gotten. And I usually despise take out.
I did read somewhere (Yahoo, maybe?) that one dairy producer was literally throwing away 10,000-15,000 gallons of milk/day since the pandemic. Apparently labelling and bottling requirements are different if you’re supplying to a store vs. restaurant. So it does make sense that a restaurant operating very much helps their suppliers.
well, this picture pretty much sums it up.
like so many people around the world, i’ve been devastated by this crisis and my restaurants are not in good shape. restaurants are especially vulnerable for many reasons but immediately because they’re high cash businesses and employ a disproportionate amount of people for the revenues they generate.
understandably, i’ve seen so many of our industry leaders eliciting support for gov. relief and donations. i too hope there will be some government aid to affected small businesses. but we must also do our part and make sure our suppliers (who also run small businesses) don’t bear the brunt of our closures. i’m extremely distraught after speaking with a few suppliers today who haven’t been getting paid. i operate 3 restaurants; i get how cash flow works. but we have to pay our suppliers and, if we must, go under in the process. when cash is tight, you have to make really tough decisions, and i’ve made many this past few weeks that keep me up at night. but i implore chefs and restaurateurs to prioritize paying their vendors so that we have a supply chain to come back to some day.
the hard reality is we may not emerge from this as restaurant owners. that’s ok. but we have to emerge from this as members of an industry with integrity and a future.
stay healthy and positive everyone.
Most of my delivery orders have been from Lusy’s and Sri Siam. The quality has been excellent and all of the delivery personnel have been wearing face masks and gloves.
Have only done one delivery – from Wally’s Beverly Hills – and it wasn’t good. Never been enthralled with Wally’s Beverly Hills, but I did use to like their American Hero sandwiches (turkey, provolone) back when they had the take-out place on Westwood Blvd. Quality definitely not the same as the old Westwood Blvd. location. Sandwich was actually kind of gross and the lettuce was wilted. Won’t be ordering from them again.
Has anyone done Jon & Vinny’s delivery?
I have also done Wally’s - the problem is that they were not using ciabatta bread, so sandwiches were so so.
Joh & Vinny delivery was much better - chicken parm, polenta, cavateli, meat balls, and even mozzarella sticks were good. Pizza (Roman Gladiator) has great flavor but was too dry after warming up, but it may have been my fault too.
Yes, dairy farmers dumping because not even the increase in grocery or food bank needs can fill in for restaurant and school closures. I guess not as fungible.
Was in there one day before the stay at home order. They were already preparing to convert to a fully devoted takeout and delivery system. Pickup orders were piled in the front. Maybe they planned knowing food would be warmed up again.
I just assumed they were closed. Did you do the farm stand only, or is the PYO open too?
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50% capacity limit for restaurants
50% capacity for outdoor service. What does “capacity” mean in that case? Indoors it means the fire code limit.
“ outdoor service at restaurants, wineries and breweries will be limited to 50% of the maximum outdoor capacity”
I took this to mean if a resto has 10 tables set up according to COVID guidelines (6 feet apart), they can only fill 50% at a time.
It’s raining and then snowing here . Any suggestions ? Outdoor capacities.