'We Don't See A Light In The Future': Local Restaurants Say They're Losing Money, State Launches Website Encouraging People To Carryout In Response
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The state of Pennsylvania is taking "Takeout Tuesday" a step further to encourage people to support the restaurants in their area.
When the order came to stop in-restaurant dining, restaurants feared the worst. Local dine-in places trying to make it on carryout are hurting.
"Our business is down close to 95 percent, we don't see a light in the future right now," said Richard Rattner at William Penn Tavern in Shady Side.
He says he's losing money. So does David Regan at the Harp and Fiddle in the Strip.
"Our business is 60-40," he says. "Sixty alcohol, 40 food. So take 80 percent of that away. I'm not getting by."
At the Harp and Fiddle, they've cut the takeout days to Wednesday through Friday, and Regan keeps sending out paychecks.
"I agreed to continue paying everyone because of the PPP and now that I haven't seen that, we're losing money," he says.
Rattner hasn't seen any of the Paycheck Protection Program money either. He's kept half his staff on, and reduced his menu to items he knows he can get.
And takeout sales? "The last two weeks, sales have really dipped down, but we're staying positive," says Rattner.
At Iron Born Pizza in the Strip and Millvale, business is slow.
"During the week, it's probably like 30 to 40 percent, if that," says Sara Boyer. "Like, it's very slow."
But they get crushed on Friday and Saturday night. And still, they have to limit the menu.
"We are literally operating on 25 percent of the staff that we have, so we really need to minimize it," says Boyer.
It's stories like these that prompted the state to ask us all to support the local restaurants who are trying to hang on.
To help, the state launched a website -- carryoutpa.com -- that lists all the restaurants in your area and what they are offering.
If you are a local restaurant that was overlooked contact the state and they'll make the adjustment and get you on the list.