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One operator's perspective on permanently going DELCO
"Pizza for table four is ready. Wings for table 12 are in the window." These are the common sounds that were heard in the restaurant every day. Then suddenly one day in March 2020 everything as we knew it changed. There was a Global Pandemic. The state mandated that all restaurant dining rooms be immediately shut down. The only thing that would be allowed was takeout and delivery. They told us it would take about two weeks to "flatten the curve." "Well, that's not terrible", I thought. "It's a pain, but I can deal with two weeks." The two weeks came and went, then two more, and then another month. Suddenly the whole script had flipped. There really was no definitive end in sight.
Before it all began, business was always very brisk. Once pandemic life hit us things changed. Now my normally busy takeout and delivery had become insanely mobbed. As one revenue center plummeted to zero, another one skyrocketed. The total overall sales number was actually higher, way higher! That certainly made this new pandemic way of life easier for me to accept. But other issues started to arise as a result. My kitchen that is designed for volume and speed was now getting overtaxed. In the new world of social distancing my staff was crammed in way too close while trying to pump everything out. I needed more space and I needed it now. On top of that I was walking into my restaurant every morning...