Moving the goal posts

[Snicks]

These restaurants are not going to survive on the long term with Take out. They are losing oodles of money. A local couple purchased our local family restaurant about 2 months before this pandemic. They had literally just opened. This is going to be devastating for their business. Yeah, they are selling some take out meals and pizza. But, they have lost $$$ on beverages, alcohol drinks, appetizers, desserts and on and on. I will be surpirsed of they reopen. They probably will but now they are months behind that they may not recover from. But yes, we gotta destroy the lives of the vast majority to stop a virus with a 98% recovery rate.

[Snicks]

A false choice is being presented. It isn't the Economy or Lives. Without the economy you are also losing lives. We are losing lives as people are not getting other types of medical care. We are losing lives as families are plunging into poverty. We can manage this AND open the Economy.

[disneysteve]

As expected, it's a lot of the mom and pop locations.

Only one location
Simple business model
No online presence
Limited menu
Resistant or inability to change

Not only one location but more the places that are designed as dine-in. I doubt anybody is ordering a $100 surf and turf dinner to take home in a styrofoam container from Capital Grille. You go there for a fine dining experience with drinks and top notch service, not to grab a quick bite to eat at home on your kitchen table. That's totally different than ordering a pizza or some chicken chow mein.

One local Mediterranean place, a nice "mom and pop" restaurant where we've eaten numerous times, said they were already doing 30-40% of their business as takeout. So when they had to shut down the dining room, they were able to easily ramp up the takeout side of things. Their business is still off by about 30% but they can manage that since their expenses are likely down from having the place closed.

[bjl584]

Not only one location but more the places that are designed as dine-in. I doubt anybody is ordering a $100 surf and turf dinner to take home in a styrofoam container from Capital Grille. You go there for a fine dining experience with drinks and top notch service, not to grab a quick bite to eat at home on your kitchen table. That's totally different than ordering a pizza or some chicken chow mein.

One local Mediterranean place, a nice "mom and pop" restaurant where we've eaten numerous times, said they were already doing 30-40% of their business as takeout. So when they had to shut down the dining room, they were able to easily ramp up the takeout side of things. Their business is still off by about 30% but they can manage that since their expenses are likely down from having the place closed.

Hopefully the places that are able to operate can at least "limp along" until this is over.

[disneysteve]

Hopefully the places that are able to operate can at least "limp along" until this is over.

We've been to a few of our local favorites during this time. They're running with a skeleton crew which I'm sure helps keep expenses down. I went to our favorite little pizza/sandwich shop the other day and there were just 2 people working (who I think are probably the owners). There are usually 5 or 6. The larger places, like that Mediterranean place, usually have 15-20 people working and are currently running with just a few.

[Smallsteps]

There are so many items that are happening and it seems as like with many things no one notices or gets mad until it hits them personally.

I agree that testing (unless we are talking Antibody tests) is NOT going to be the answer. If you had it ...and are over it........ a basic test will just say negative. If you are truly negative and can contract it later that same day.......

Once we know this has been going around for a longer period perhaps and HOW many have had mild/ no symptom forms.............. we will see the rates of death drop as a percentage dramatically . see the Stanford or USC studies.
Some will reluctantly see it is time to figure a way to move on or they start bad mouthing the study heard a" journalist" say it was from some cut rate school .... (Stanford).

A few Law enforcement officials in many states have stated they will not enforce what they see as over reaching or unconstitutional bans/ rules .......
We already have way too much laws are pliable and we can pick and choose what to follow or we have no reason to believe any law/rules will be followed in the future.
Half of my state people have moved on opened or never closed for weeks and no one seemed to notice or care. We have some nail salons owed and operated by immigrants who have pretended their is a language barrier so they close for a day and open up the next day.

I have also seen places move in the opposite direction going even further with more hoops to jump through, Example a bank was letting in customers 1-2 at a time maintaining distancing etc one week ...the very next week they had sign on door to call and make appointment.

DH was there to make a deposit......... looked in NO Customers there and then called the phone # they said "they had opening in 40 minutes" ..... he told them he sees zero people in there and they stammered and asked if he wanted the appointment in 40 minutes he said "sure i plan on closing all my accounts" ..... and low and behold they had an immediate opening.

Our Numbers here have been steadily dropping and many places that are supposed to be banned opened up or found a work around... the neighboring state is advertising stay and play golf packages found a big draw for that. Golf like some other activities are not crowded but must be banned?

All those who want to stay at home until there is no RISK seem to say IF, IF ,IF ,IF not real data. How did these people manage before... most of life has seen and unseen risks?

Other Businesses starting a temperature station at the door but that is not catching anyone that is asymptomatic with no fever....... it is a VISUAL......... like masks that are giving people a false sense of security.
I watched some PT person supposedly counting people entering and exiting but I never once saw them step up and say " we are full , we need to let a few leave"
even when my quick calculation said yep over the estimated limit....... had a store person tell me it is more show ...........as they felt not paid enough to be yelled at by someone they would need to wait.

I watched a man in a grocery store pull from front with bare hands his MASK away from his mouth so he could sneeze ....... adjusts mask and continues shopping .... now in front of they store customers with masks smile and nod at others with masks while shooting glares at anyone without one........ people touching their faces constantly adjusting masks which will contaminate the mask and if they DID touch something bring the virus to nose/ mouth or eyes ...... yet they are the "safe" ones and the rest of people without a mask are treated as criminals.

Speaking of criminals for those whom may live in Mayberry..............just saw the article about two prisoners, released because of Covid 19................ committed a violent assault 37 minutes after release.
These ideas are placebo like measures are not making SENSE to many people.

[bjl584]

We've been to a few of our local favorites during this time. They're running with a skeleton crew which I'm sure helps keep expenses down. I went to our favorite little pizza/sandwich shop the other day and there were just 2 people working (who I think are probably the owners). There are usually 5 or 6. The larger places, like that Mediterranean place, usually have 15-20 people working and are currently running with just a few.

I ordered Chinese the other day.
The place is operated by a husband and wife and sometimes their son will pitch in.
They were busier than I've ever seen them.
She was doing nothing but taking phone call after phone call and he was running back and forth between the grill and the cash register.
I was so happy that they are thriving.
I normally don't tip when I pick up food, but I did that day.

[kork13]

I ordered Chinese the other day.
The place is operated by a husband and wife and sometimes their son will pitch in.
They were busier than I've ever seen them.
She was doing nothing but taking phone call after phone call and he was running back and forth between the grill and the cash register.
I was so happy that they are thriving.
I normally don't tip when I pick up food, but I did that day.

Similar story for us yesterday... we were out avoiding the house during a showing, and got lunch at a little Greek place. There was a constant flow of orders getting picked up, and a couple of folks started chatting with the owner. He's been doing great in spite of the COVID mess, and is working on plans to move to a new location up the valley.

Really, it's just as we all expected, and have said from the start -- places that already do frequent take-away/delivery, or businesses that can operate largely online, are doing just fine.

[disneysteve]

I sort of agree. Why isn't there a hospital bailout? Why can't they get the same savings as other industries?

It was passed today and Trump has indicated he will sign it.

[ua_guy]

I sat down to look at what was included in the Cares act signed on 3/27 and I was mistaken. $100B was made available to hospitals in the first round.

Today’s wave is another $75B for hospitals/healthcare plus $25B for COVID-19 testing.

Not bad—but can confirm the situation isn’t good. Our organization has announced it will be notifying employees of the first round of furloughs/layoffs starting Monday.

[Evangelion335]

Boy, this should be a really uplifting thread. I doubt anyone will get in any arguments. I doubt this will turn political...oh wait, it already has. I doubt we'll hear any bro science. Im sure we'll discover some deep insight and opinions of the members of this site. What else am I missing?

Genuine optimism.