The COVID-19 pandemic has hit most restaurants hard since it began to spread last year causing shutdowns and new regulations for reopening. 

Small businesses and local restaurants arguably have been taking the most loss, many restaurants being put out of business and a large number of people becoming unemployed. If not unemployed, workers have had their hours drastically cut to match the cut in operating hours.

“Our hours used to be five a.m. to eight p.m., then we switched to five a.m. to four p.m., and we are now open eight a.m. to two p.m,” Linda Peterson, manager of Frankie Doodles said. “Everyday we get calls from people asking if they can come in to eat.” 

Even though they have taken extreme precaution, following all guidelines such as social distancing, requiring masks and frequent sanitation, they still are unable to open for dine-in just yet. 

The fact that dine-in operations have been seized, or heavy protocols being put in place, means restaurants that have a drive-through are receiving a lot more business compared to restaurants that were once bustling for eat-in. Some restaurants that rely on sit down customers have made changes in the way they run their take-out systems in order to stay afloat during these trying times. 

“We have kind of the whole restaurant to utilize to be able to do take-out orders, so that makes it easier,” Carmen Sowler, an employee of South Hill Grill said. 

Due to the loss of business, restaurants have also had to significantly decrease the amount of food they order to prevent large amounts of waste. 

“We have to change our orders to the same level that we are selling,” Fiesta Mexicana’s manager Mike Amador said. 

Amador has seen an approximate 40% decrease in sales, causing him to go from nine employees to only five.

 “We are doing OK, but we had to push back on everything,” Amador said. “Thankfully the government has been giving assistance otherwise we’d be closed by now. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.” 

While some restaurants are successfully navigating through this, many have succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Just in the first 6 months of the pandemic, the Washington Hospitality Association reported over 2,500 permanent closures. In Spokane alone, well over ten restaurants have permanently shut down due to the impact, some being open for over three decades. 

With that being said, it is evident that the effects of COVID-19 are devastating to local businesses that do not have the money to fall back on like bigger corporations do. While the government has been offering assistance to these restaurants, the restrictions are heavily affecting their business. Supporting small and local businesses is vital as it is allowing them to keep their doors open.