Restaurants turn to takeout as pandemic closes dining rooms again

Some restaurants on P.E.I. will have to rely on takeout and delivery for the next two weeks, during a time that many planned to host an annual event that features specialized dishes to help boost business.

Tuesday, just two days into Winterdine, P.E.I. announced new COVID-19 measures that prevent indoor dining at restaurants until at least Jan. 31.

Organizers of Winterdine announced Wednesday morning the event would be postponed.

P.E.I. has 2,214 active cases of COVID-19. Eight are being treated in hospital.

Trying to avoid layoffs

Melissa Murphy, manager of Taste of India restaurant in Charlottetown, told CBC News Tuesday evening it's short notice, but she understands the need for the restrictions. And it's not the first time COVID-19 has shut down indoor dining, so restaurant managers have some experience dealing with it.

"It's just trying to give people as many hours as I can through the two weeks and hopefully not have to lay anybody off," said Murphy.

While some employees are worried about reduced hours, Murphy said there is an upside to closing temporarily to indoor dining.

"It's hard when we have the dine-in because we can't be six feet away from our customers so there's always that paranoia if we're going to catch COVID," she said.

"You just don't know, not being able to distance yourself when you're serving."

Opposed to restrictions

Robert Gallant, general manager of Michael's Pizzeria in Summerside, said he's fed up with the restrictions. He went through it in the spring of 2020, and thinks they are hurting people more than helping.

He said the business can get by for a while, relying on takeout and delivery. But with the dining room closed, he said he'll have to lay off a couple workers.

"If I thought the restrictions were helping, if I really believed the restrictions were helping, I'd say OK. But we did two years of restrictions. We did everything possible, and now we're back to square one again. So what does that tell you?"

Kevin Murphy, president of the Murphy Hospitality Group, said the new restrictions didn't come as a surprise to most in the restaurant industry.

"We have to get through it, we have to get to the other side, and get this behind us." 

Murphy said this is something that he sees affecting all small businesses — that it extends beyond restaurants and hospitality. 

"Businesses need support. There's no question they are struggling," Murphy said.

"They are on their knees. How do we help them? I think that's my biggest question. Let's get through to the finish line."

But that finish line may feel out of reach for some. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is concerned about the frequency of restrictions and the effect it has on business owners and staff in the region.

Caught 'flat footed'

Things were going well going into the fall and the holiday season, said Louis Phillipe Gauthier,  the Atlantic director of CFIB.

"This new wave caught everyone flat footed at the worst possible time of the year," said Gauthier.

"Businesses were coming into the year with cost pressures from a labour perspective, increases in costs in insurance, increases in costs in supply chain."

When he looks at January data he said it looks grim, and it's time for provincial supports.

"With the amount of costs that have increased throughout the pandemic… there's no question that provincial government needs to play a role there, and there should be supports for businesses that are being affected," he said.