Faced with new provincial restrictions in the midst of climbing COVID-19 case counts, some St. Albert restaurants are opting to close their doors again, switching to take-out instead of dine-in services.
And who can blame them? Those staying open for in-person dining, while abiding by all the other provincial restrictions that have come into place over the past months, are now also tasked with policing their patrons to the level of ensuring everyone seated at a table has the same home address.
The new restrictions announced last week by Premier Jason Kenney left the door open for restaurants to continue serving people in-person. But for some local restaurants, it wasn't much of an option.
In St. Albert, XIX Nineteen was one of many restaurants to close dine-in services. Chef/owner Andrew Fung summed it up for the Gazette: "We're already having a tough time asking people to put on a mask and now you're enforcing another rule on top ... We're not police and we're not law enforcement."
Abhilash Nechikkat, co-owner of Flame Kitchen, echoed that sentiment to Gazette reporter Anna Borowiecki: "It's impossible," he said.
Those words no doubt resonate with restaurant workers provincewide who feel they don't have the tools, the personnel or the authority to crack down on patrons who aren't following the rules.
Of all the industries reeling from the COVID-19 restrictions, restaurants have been among the hardest-hit by closures and lockdowns. In October, Restaurants Canada estimated the industry has lost 188,000 jobs since the pandemic started, and warned another 100,000 jobs could be in jeopardy due to recent closures.
Already operating on thin margins, closing their doors to in-person dining means relying on people ordering food, either from the restaurant's website or from a delivery middleman such as SkipTheDishes, which eats into the meagre profits of these restaurants. Keeping their doors open, meanwhile, means risking even more confrontations with customers.
Such confrontations have already played out elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. over previous restrictions. Last week in Victoria, B.C., police levied $460 in fines against an aggressive restaurant patron who allegedly threatened a staff member after being asked politely to follow COVID protocols.
In B.C., though, the government clarified that it isn't the responsibility of restaurant staff to police COVID rules. Alberta, meanwhile, has said it will be conducting inspections to make sure public health orders are being followed – and restaurants who aren't following the rules could be subject to fines or orders.
Alberta Health Services has yet to list any work or closure orders for restaurants since the new restrictions came into effect, but the threat remains despite the fact restaurants aren't equipped to enforce these rules.
It's an added worry to small business owners who have more than enough on their plates already.
Nechikkat told the Gazette his business can survive if people order pick-up. That likely holds true for other restaurants that are being forced to modify their services or close their doors, as well.
It may be the best alternative to help these businesses stay afloat until the latest restrictions can be eased. Don’t regret it when it’s too late. Pick up your phone or go online and place your order today.
