City of Raleigh launches 'pick-up zones' to help restaurants, bars with carry-out, delivery orders
It's a new reality for restaurants around the Triangle, dining services are working to find new ways to serve customers.
The City of Raleigh is helping with the effort by establishing pickup zones, which would help mitigate the need for residents to find parking and to help restaurants that are in desperate need to keep their doors open. The plan is to open more than 100 zones and offer curbside locations along Glenwood South, Hillsborough Street and in downtown Raleigh.
The executive order went into effect Tuesday that disallows dine-in service to keep the virus from spreading.
The policy devastating many restaurants like Grub Durham and Babymoon Cafe in Morrisville.
Baby Moon Cafe owner Ryan Salman made the brutal decision to trim his staff from 42 employees down to three.
"It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do but to be honest with you my staff took it really well," said Salman. We're a big family together and we try to look out for each other. They know that we're trying to do everything we can to get everyone back to where we were beforehand."
The same story goes for Wendy Woods, the co-owner of Grub Durham.
"It's probably one of the most devastating things that could've happened to me, us and our businesses," said Woods.
She also runs Nosh and several businesses in Duke's Medical Center as well as Piper's in the Park in RTP.
Woods can also do delivery and takeout orders after Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order barring establishments from having customers dine-in in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
"We're in the restaurant because we love to be around people and serve people," Woods said. "So the thought of not having a restaurant or having to close the restaurant down or you can't have people inside is devastating."
Grub has a takeout window on the side of their business in Durham which is fully equipped with a register so they're asking people to come and order as much take out as possible to get through this.
"We were moving in that direction on Wednesday anyways," said Leon Cox, general manager of Jimmy V's in Downtown Raleigh. "The revenue streams weren't there so it didn't make sense to fully staff your business because you're just losing money."
Like Grub, Jimmy V's is moving to to-go and online orders only and furloughing some staff to get through the crisis.
"If you're in a situation where you want a great meal or you want a restaurant type of meal, this is a great way to enjoy that without the fear of social distancing," Cox said.
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