Restaurant owners traverse pandemic climate as staff shortages continue

CHARLOTTE — The latest surge of COVID-19 cases has put a strain on businesses and hospitals across the country.

Locally, the Crepe Cellar in NoDa is normally closed on Mondays but now, the popular eatery will be closed on Tuesdays, as well, to manage staffing challenges.

[ALSO READ: Local restaurant owner opens up about struggles to keep business alive amid ongoing pandemic]

“Staffing has been really tight for a while now,” co-owner Jeff Tonidandel told Channel 9 Monday. “We’re definitely stressed at the seams and then everybody traveling for the holidays put a little more stress on. And then, any COVID case you have on top of that, makes things difficult to operate.”

Jeff and Jamie Tonidandels own other restaurants like Haberdish and Growler’s Pourhouse.

The couple have been forced to cut lunch hours during the week because of the lack of staffing.

Channel 9 spoke with other restaurant owners about the challenges the industry is facing.

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“At the beginning of last week, which was right after Christmas, it kind of felt like March of 2020 all over again,” said Paul Manley, owner of The Waterman. “We had 15% of our workforce out with either, tested positive or was going to tested, trying to get tested from exposure over the holidays.”

Manley shortened the workday to relieve the problems with staffing.

He is opening a new restaurant and is learning lessons from the pandemic.

“It was, initially, pretty shocking at the beginning of last week just coordinating all that,” Manley said. “And we’ve been able to get to the point where about 10% of our workforce is quarantined right now, or at the various stages of coming out of that. Every aspect of running the business or growing the business, there’s this pandemic component that’s part of every decision that you make.”

(Watch the video below: Charlotte restaurant cancels Thanksgiving dinner after nearly 30 years of serving families)

Charlotte restaurant cancels Thanksgiving dinner after nearly 30 years of serving families

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