A Restaurant and COVID-19: A look at one NYC establishment
Words by Sajina Shrestha
QUEENS, NY-- New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio issued an Executive Order on March 15 which limited restaurants and bars to take-out and delivery. This order, which went into effect on March 17 at 9:00 am, was done to reduce the number of close interactions New Yorkers had with each other as the coronavirus continues to spread in the U.S. Restaurant owners like Nabin and Sharmila Sherchan are among the many hit the hardest by the executive order.
The couple owns a small restaurant in Jackson Heights called, “Thakali Kitchen.” The restaurant gets a majority of its revenue from regular dine-in customers and large parties. The business does not have a permanent delivery system and only delivers out of borough if the order is over $300. The couple noticed business died down in March amidst the fear of coronavirus and decided to close up shop on March 14, a day before mayor de Blasio issued the Executive Order.
Mr. Sherchan feels like he is in a mental jail, he is worried about the rent and his employees. He commented, “I have already paid the March rent but my April’s due on the 5th.” He believes government aid will help him keep his business open. He predicts “2-4 months later, we will be lost. We cannot pay rent. If we cannot have a business loan, we cannot stay afloat.”
On March 19, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson proposed a $12 billion relief plan to help workers and businesses in New York City. The proposal asks the federal government for help with the expansion of unemployment and small business loan programs. Speaker Johnson declared that if the proposal were to be denied, the City would try to continue the program on its own by a surcharge on high-end commercial property, a tax increase on personal income of over $500,000 a year, and a temporary payroll tax for the wealthy. Mr. Sherchan believes the 0% interest loan program, another facet of the proposal, would help his business after the pandemic. He states, “It will take 7-8 years to come into normal. If people are jobless, how are they going to eat at restaurants, how are they going to purchase [goods]?”
He tries to combat his anxieties by keeping in contact with his employees. The couple employed 3-4 waiters and 5 cooks in the kitchen on weekends and 2 waiters and 4 cooks on weekdays. He and his wife have been calling the restaurant’s cooks and waiters, asking them to be careful and to keep in touch with them. He considers giving them a half-day salary and is offering to buy their groceries. He says, “It is not enough, if the government supports us, we can help them. We just have to wait and see”
The U.S. Senate will vote on a $2 trillion rescue package on Wednesday, April 1. The package will include loans to small businesses that pledge to keep their workers.
