SPOKANE, Wash. — Restaurants around Spokane are teaming up to survive the upcoming cold seasons.
Patio seating was a way for restaurants to make up for indoor seating restrictions. Now that they are closing due to weather, it is even harder for restaurants to survive with the 50% capacity rule.
David’s Pizza specifically has seen 65% less business during the pandemic.
“Business for us is not like it’s ever been in our history, in anybody’s history. We went from the best year we ever had in over 20 years to the worst year that we ever had,” Mark Starr, Owner of David’s Pizza, said.
He said most restaurants run on a 3-5% profit margin, meaning the dramatic decrease in business can be detrimental.
Beyond COVID-19 restrictions, Starr said he has also noticed less people interested in dining out. He created the Save509 restaurant coalition in an attempt to boost business for local restaurants.
“That favorite restaurant and bar that you’ve been looking forward to going to when this is all over – well you might not want to wait until this is all over, because they might not be there,” Starr said.
Many Spokane restaurants are cutting back dramatically just to keep their doors open. Chaps bakery has implemented several new techniques to make ends meet, including new take-out measures, an extra day closed, and partnerships with Dutch Bros and local stores.
“For restaurants that came out of a slow winter and into COVID and now into a challenged summer back into winter, everyone has had to cut back,” Celeste Shaw, Owner of Chaps, said.
Shaw said she’s seen restaurants having to reduce staffing and buy bare minimum product to stay alive.
Both owners said in the end, support from the public is what will keep them alive. They said even if it's just buying a gift card, or ordering take out, anything will help.