Joe's Pizzeria & Bistro, 789 Route 70 East, in Marlton offers a drive-thru ‘pick-up window,’ which many customers prefer in order to avoid direct contact.
Many local restaurants are working hard to stay open and remain profitable during a time when they've taken a hit because of the coronavirus pandemic.
They're making cuts, most notably to staff and inventory, and finding creative ways to generate more business to stay out of the red. These same eateries have also found ways to cater, not just to the current situations of their loyal customers, but to those directly impacted by this national health emergency.
Most of the pressure hit after Gov. Phil Murphy mandated that all eateries close their dining rooms on March 16 as a way to further promote social distancing. Delivery and takeout are still available options to generate revenue, but some customers fear leaving the comforts of their home, and being at risk of contracting COVID-19.
Tarantella Ristorante, a family-owned Italian restaurant in Medford, relies heavily on its dine-in area with enough seating to serve about 160 people and it’s also seeing damage to its business as a local caterer of large events because all public gatherings are put on hold for the time being. As a result, it’s lost more than 50 percent of its business.
How long can Tarantella Ristorante and other restaurants continue in the face of sharply curtailed or no business?
“We’re not thinking like that. We’re just going day by day and putting our best foot forward. We’ve been here 23 years, and we’re not planning on stopping now,” said Kiel Ridolfino, a manager who married into the family business.
The family-owned restaurant is now leaning on delivery and curbside pick-up.
“We’ve had to cut employee hours,” Ridolfino said. “We’re just here as a family working as hard as we can.”
The restaurant has been trying anything to promote the business, whether it be continuing to post its specials on social media, or for families stuck at home, offering take-home pizza kits with all the ingredients for a large pizza (dough, 12 ounces of sauce, 12 ounces of cheese, toppings).
Some places, like Yo Momma’s Frozen Yogurt Shop in Voorhees, have closed its doors out of precaution for its customers and employees. On March 25, the business posted on Facebook: This is the second week of our small business being closed. We are sad and scared, but we believe that frozen treats are not essential and that our staff and customers should #stayhome as ordered to help #flattenthecurve. We send our appreciation to the industries that are essential and to their employees who continue to risk their own safety to help the people in their communities.
Positives have arisen from this time of gloom though.
A manager of Johnny Longhots in Evesham noted a television report detailing how Evesham Police Department provided 400 households with free pizza, with the assistance of 14 pizza joints, and for those who didn’t make the “first come first serve” cut to receive pizza, the hope was sparking a wave of residents to “pay it forward” and support their local businesses.
“If we all talk with each other, there is more we can do together,” said Manager Alfredo Palillero.
Like all restaurants, Johnny Longhots, 752 Route 70 West, Marlton closed its dining area after an executive order by the governor mandated restaurants only offer delivery and takeout, beginning on March 16.
The local pizza joint, like Tarantella Ristorante, is offering pizza kits. It hasn’t had to lay off employees, because they are “cutting themselves” out of fear, the manager said, and is receiving about half as many orders as it typically would be receiving on the average weekday.
Manager Cliff Fenimore, of Joe's Pizzeria & Bistro in Marlton, said his business has seen the biggest impact during the daytime as well; however, the eatery continues to move forward, having kept a majority of its staff intact, only having to let go of four part-timers.
With a closed dining room, which is approximately 35 percent of its business, with capabilities of serving 120 people, servers remain hard at work: answering phones, operating the cash register, and bagging orders. The closing of its dine-in though has caused somewhat of a backlog.
“One of the problems has been everybody wanting to eat at the same time,” Fenimore said, noting his restaurant had a longer line than usual on a recent Friday, between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. The restaurant fulfilled about two-thirds of the day’s total orders during this period.
“We’re still here, and we’re not going anywhere,” he said. “We’re working harder, but you gotta do what you gotta do.”
He noted that the local restaurant has an advantage in being one of the few non-chain restaurants with a drive-thru “pick-up window.” He said, “A lot of people don’t want the contact. We just hand it to them, and see you later.”
Evesham Township gave a shout-out on Facebook to the restaurant for its support of families struggling to put meals on the table during these difficult times. The March 31 post read: We would like to thank Joe's Pizzeria & Bistro in Marlton for their continued generosity.
Since the COVID-19 crisis began, they have been donating meals on a daily basis to families in need that have been identified by the township.
In addition, they have been donating regular meals to groups such as our Police Department, Fire Department, Virtua Hospital ER department and other areas of the community.
Pho Barclay, a Vietnamese restaurant in Cherry Hill, saw an 80 percent drop in revenue when the mandate to close dine-in was announced. Like Johnny Longhots, it lost some employees, who left out of fear of contracting the virus. It also eliminated lunch hours.
“We were doing three orders during lunch,” said Owner Jim Ong. “It didn’t make sense to turn on the lights or the heat. I’d rather spend that time with my family.”
Ong isn’t worried though, as a real estate investor who founded the restaurant during the recession in 2008, when he needed additional income to fall back on.
“We needed to create our own stimulus package,” he said. “We’re not the type of people to sit back and wait for things to happen during crisis.”
Despite the early struggles, he said he has seen an uptick in business, compared to the opening week of restrictions, including an “overwhelming” amount of people who have come out to support the business, including one customer who ordered $15 worth of food, but decided to pay $50.
Restaurants are “keeping their spirits up” in various ways, he said. His workers recently took part in a “food exchange” with Dolsot House, a nearby Korean BBQ Restaurant.
“They were like, ‘We’re not going to charge you, we’re all in the same boat.’” said Ong, of the unexpected gesture when they ordered food. “That was really moving.”
Almost all restaurants, bars, cafes and other eateries who remain open for take-out food and drinks are trying to make the transactions as hands free as possible, and — despite the fear — some people are still venturing out and trying their best to support these types of local businesses.
Del Buono’s Bakery in Marlton is offering gloves for use in the store. One customer noted that the bakeries available at supermarkets aren’t making rolls like those offered by Del Buono's.
“People still want their rolls, because they love their rolls,” said Manager Pam Paparella. “They’ll risk anything for their rolls.”
Vola’s Pizza in Cherry Hill is posting specials on its Facebook page, and offering pizza kits and garlic knots kits. The eatery is also hosting the “Number Game,” where customers try to guess the lucky number, between 1 and 100, with hopes of being the first to guess correctly and win a free dinner for four.
Tony Sopranos Pizza in Medford, even with a decline of about one-third of revenue during the weekdays, has found some new customers, because of the pandemic. “I never ordered from you guys, but I decided to order from you guys, because you’re one of the only places open,” Manager Usiel Perez recalled hearing from one customer.
Grubr Kitchen in Medford, which is delivering fully prepared, healthy meals during this time, announced on Facebook on April 3 that it has a new Grubr Sit and Eat restaurant ready to open next door to its kitchen, once everything returns to normal.
Lakes Coffee in Medford Lakes is still offering online ordering curbside/takeout, and a customer can still peruse their coffee bar virtually. And the Honey Post in Medford Lakes is still offering healthy acai, smoothie and juices for pickup.
