Restaurants in areas covered by Directed Health Measures are required to close their dining rooms and move to carry-out and delivery only.
Latest news & resources: netNebraska.org/coronavirus
Luigi’s Italian Restaurant in North Platte started COVID-19 adjustments by restricting their dining area to 10 people at a time. That did not work well for the restaurant, so they moved to delivery and carry-out before a Directed Health Measure was put in place for the North Platte area.
Luigi’s has kept their menu the same and is offering delivery, which is not usually part of their service. Deliveries are handled in house, and drivers sanitize their hands before and after deliveries. Drivers keep delivery fees.
Tips are shared between workers at the restaurant, which usually includes two servers.
Kaleb Gray is a shift leader at Luigi’s. He said servers are struggling during social distancing.
“For instance this morning, we’ve had probably two or three to-gos, and we probably made about fifteen dollars in total, so today if we don’t get any busier right now we’ll both have about $7.50 in tips,” Gray said. “We are doing the tip sharing for now and it’s working pretty well. Cause we’re all hurting and we’re all trying to get by.”
Luigi’s hasn’t laid off any employees, but has asked some high-school age workers if they will reduce their hours.
In Scottsbluff, one restaurant reported reducing their staff from 10 to four people regularly working. Another has had to cut hours for their employees.
Latest news & resources: netNebraska.org/coronavirus