Restaurants both big and small are feeling the pinch of lost business during COVID-19.
Michigan restaurants are entering their third week of take-out service only. Many restaurants have closed, at least until the end of Michigan’s ‘stay home’ order.
Paul Weissend is the owner of The Whitehouse Restaurant in Clare. He said the usually packed restaurant has seen a dramatic decline in sales.
“On a good day I’m doing about fifty percent of what I’d normally do, and on a bad day about a third.”
Weissend said low sales have led to shifting his entire staff to part-time. The diner used to be open from 6 A.M until 10 P.M ... Now it’s open 8 A.M to 8 P.M.
National and state partnerships have stepped in to help small businesses. They’ve opened up millions in loans for business owners. Weissend said it’s not as easy as filling out an online application.
“You have to be able to show a profit/loss margin for the last three years, and have a lost deficit statement from last year to submit with all the paperwork, as well as proof that you’ve already gone to the bank you’ve done your business with and been declined a line of credit through them to even apply to the grant.”
In normal times, Weissend said that a visit to the bank or to his business’s accountant to obtain documentation would be easy. During coronavirus shutdowns… not so much.The bank is on lockdown and his accountant is almost an hour away.
“I almost have to go there to get this documentation to be able to upload it to prove all these things they want me to prove. And oh yeah, the deadline to apply for that? Wednesday, April 1st. So I just don’t know if it’s realistically going to be able to happen for me.”
Mom-and-pop shops aren’t the only businesses feeling the sting. Melissa Hamilton is the General Manager at a Wendy’s in Mount Pleasant.
“I normally run seven to eight people on a shift, meaning breakfast, lunch, dinner. We’re now down to two. All day. So that means I’ve got two people on the clock for breakfast. Two for lunch. And two for dinner.”
Hamilton said the only employees at the store are those who need to work a minimum number of hours to keep their insurance. The rest have filed for unemployment.
She said any customers who do stop by the drive through are, for the most part, understanding of the circumstances. Workers have to prepare everything to order so food doesn’t go to waste.
“Our guests have been phenomenal. Some of them come through and say, “I just sanitized my credit card”, and they hand it to me. And it’s phenomenal that people are taking that kind of..I guess, caring for us too.”
Paul Weissend also said the amount of community support he’s received is incredible. One customer bought gift cards for the business to give away to veterans or families in need.
He said he’s tried to return the favor to the community.
“I’ve picked up some groceries and delivered them as well. I’m available to do that. I figure if I have to be out everyday coming and going from here, I might as well try to take advantage of the trips if someone else needs something and they can’t leave their house.”
Weissend and Hamilton said regardless of how long the outbreak lasts, they will try to keep their businesses open…they’re working now to outlast the virus.