Devastation. Fear. Loss.
These are the terms used by restaurant owners and employees alike around the Crawfordsville area on Thursday, just four days after the governor issued an order closing all dine-in services.
Schools, government offices and businesses also have either closed their doors or dropped to a minimal staff to minimize the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), tightening the squeeze felt by restaurateurs in areas normally bustling with foot traffic.
“It’s like an avalanche effect more than anything,” Allen’s Country Kitchen owner Dave Allen said. “What was busy and running good and looked like it was just going to continue right on going has, in less than a week’s time — there’s just nothing there.”
The downtown restaurant specializes in dining both at their Main Street store and through a catering service.
However, more than 500 planned meals have now been scrapped due to event cancelations and postponements.
“Our business is at least 50% catering, and every obligation we have from now until the middle of April has been canceled,” co-owner Amy Allen said.
Though the couple has turned to carry-out and even added delivery to their services to lessen the impact, several cuts have been made to keep the store open.
“We’re running with bare-bones staff,” Dave Allen said. “It’s not a full work schedule, but it’s better than nothing.”
Also feeling the pinch, particularly in their pockets, are servers like Katie Price at The Breakfast Company in the city’s Crawfordsville Square shopping plaza.
“I haven’t made more than $20 doing to-go orders from a full day of business. It’s crazy,” Price said. “Tips are our only income. We don’t have a paycheck. Literally zero dollars.”
Price and her co-workers were given the option to stay home by owners Doris Maples and Antwaun Lang.
But Price, who makes the 45-minute commute to work each day, said she is still coming to work out of respect for her bosses.
“They are the most amazing people I’ve ever met in my life,” she said. “That’s why we’re here. Obviously, I care that I’m not making money, but I’m helping my bosses because I know they help me just as much in return. They’re going to make things right in the end.”
Other restaurants in and around downtown Crawfordsville have placed signs designating carry-out-only parking spots for customers who call ahead.
Even national franchises which have branches located in Crawfordsville are not exempt from the impact of COVID-19. Applebee’s General Manager Amanda Thompson said her restaurant has seen a sharp decline across the board.
Fast-food businesses like McDonald’s and Arby’s have also closed dining room doors, placing caution tape at entrances allowing customers to place to-go orders.
It may be some time before normalcy can return to the restaurant industry as announcements and tighter regulations are announced each day.
Until then, the Allens and Price have breathed the collective sigh:
“Hopefully it ends soon.”
