Restaurants Still Struggling Over a Year Into Pandemic

By Lauren Lavanchy

JRN 100 Staff Writer

 

NORWOOD—In the darkest days of the pandemic, restaurant manager Paul Eckhardt wondered if the Olde Colonial Café would make it through. Today, he’s more hopeful, but the business is still trying to recover.

 

“With not having enough staff, an increase in irate customers, and trying to recover from near-permanent closure, things have not improved as much as we had hoped,” said Eckhardt, manager of the Olde Colonial Café in Norwood, Massachusetts.

 

Eckhardt isn’t alone. According to a recent 2021 study by One Fair Wage, prior to the pandemic,
the restaurant industry was one of the fastest-growing areas of the economy, with over 13 million employees nationwide. To date, more than six million restaurant workers have lost work temporarily or permanently due to the pandemic. 

 

Also, the study, titled “It’s a Wage Shortage, Not a Worker Shortage,” found that over half (53%) of all workers surveyed report that they are considering leaving their restaurant job because of the pandemic and more than three quarters (76%) say that they are leaving due to low wages and tips. 

 

Bob Luz, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said Boston has not recovered 100,000 of the 300,000 jobs lost due to closed restaurants and the sale reductions in restaurants that reopened. Also, in June when the city reopened, 3,400 or 23%, of restaurants did not reopen.

 

Many popular restaurants closed in Boston, including Top of the Hub, The Fours, and Cheers Faneuil Hall. 

 

“There is no silver bullet, and this affects every industry, not just restaurants,” said Luz. 

 

The study reported that restaurant workers have faced a decrease in tips and an increase in health risks and harassment over the course of the pandemic.

The One Fair Wage study also documents women and mothers’ experiences during the pandemic.

 

According to the study, of all women who left their jobs, 39% decided to leave due to concerns of hostility and harassment from customers.

 

A CDC report, titled “Limiting Workplace Violence Associated with COVID-19 Prevention Policies in Retail and Services Businesses,” said that threats and harassment are more likely to occur in retail and restaurants opposed to other industries.

 

Much of the harassment workers have faced is in response to enforcing COVID-19 protocols, with 25% of employees reporting they have experienced or witnessed a “significant” change in the frequency of harassment, according to One Fair Wage.

 

Employees also had concerns about their safety and contracting COVID-19.

 

The study by One Fair Wage found that nearly one in five workers reported having contracted COVID-19, 95% knew someone who had contracted the virus, and nearly three-quarters reported that someone in their restaurant contracted the virus.

 

Jenna Malone, a former employee at Rico’s Pizzeria in Walpole, Massachusetts, decided to leave the industry.

 

“I chose to leave my job at the very beginning of the pandemic, because, to me, the risk of getting COVID was not worth the reward of working,” said Malone. “Between the touching of money and face-to-face interactions with customers in a time of such uncertainty, I just did not feel safe.”

 

Many employees who left their job made the decision to go on unemployment.

 

“Obviously, there was a huge loss of business, 255,000 employees went on unemployment,” said Luz. 

 

Luz said that an employee shortage has been expected.

 

“We have many more baby boomers retiring every day and the new generations have far fewer workers entering the workforce,” said Luz.

 

Apart from staff shortages, restaurants have had to change their business models entirely.

 

According to Luz, pre-pandemic 90-92% of sales were on site, 8-10% were takeout, and delivery was virtually non-existent. In the last two summer and fall seasons, 25% was takeout or delivery and 40% takeout in the winter months.

 

Eckhardt believes the biggest challenge restaurants have had to face is how to adapt. 

 

 “We have had to take away the high standards and make it possible to not only keep those standards but apply them in new ways,” said Eckhardt. “It is crucial that we keep our staff and customers safe and happy but still give them an exceptional experience.”

 

Eckhardt and the staff at the Olde Colonial Café have managed to stay positive and reflect on what they have learned over the past couple of years.

 

“The pandemic taught us how to make change and improve in areas we did not reflect on before. Being forced to do takeout and have limited interactions with other people also brought us closer together and make us work better together,” said Eckhardt.

 

Though there have been many challenges restaurants have had to overcome, things are starting to look up.

 

Eckhardt said he hopes the restaurant industry will continue to bounce back.

 

“In many ways, things have improved. People are now vaccinated, they’re going out, spending money, looking for private events, and overall people are excited to live their lives again,” said Eckhardt. “The future looks bright though, overall people seem to be positive and we look forward to seeing the community again.”

 

Luz sees much room for improvement throughout the restaurant industry but believes they are on the right path to a successful future.

 

“People love their restaurants, and they are rooting for us,” said Luz. “We will see more outdoor dining areas, more streamlined takeout and delivery systems and space, and in general, less indoor seating moving forward.”

A look into the Olde Colonial Café