It's been exactly one year since we first shut down our restaurant. I remember the first week of March 2020 — sales decreased by 25%, and the next week was the same. Overnight we prepared to do takeout and delivery only. I was doing all the deliveries in my own car for the first month, but we were able to stay busy so we had to switch to the delivery apps, which I wasn't happy about because they take 30% of sales.
We used those funds to cover payroll and make sure our full-time staff was still able to stay on board and get paid. We also put UV lights on our air conditioners, installed hand sanitizer dispensers all over the restaurant, and made use of our outdoor space to accommodate social distancing. With this next round of stimulus, I'm planning to use it to save and to keep paying our employees. My main concern is employee retention. Right now it's very difficult for me to find skilled cooks and servers, because some people are still benefiting from unemployment and taking advantage of other cash-based gigs.
Our space doesn't need a lot of upgrading, but I plan to use the stimulus check to purchase a patio enclosure for our front outdoor space. During May in Miami it rains nearly everyday, so I want people to still be able to come and eat outside. Last year I lost 30% of my revenue, and I'm still making it back up.
As these next round of stimulus checks arrive, I hope people go out and spend them on local businesses in their neighborhood. I also hope they remember to express a little empathy for the people serving their food. We have to deal with so many different people of all walks of life, regardless of what they think about COVID. We're out here serving hundreds of people every single day, so please act with a little bit of consideration.
MeiraGebel Do you think this is what people really need right now?
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