P.E.I. restaurants get boost from foodie Facebook page

It's quiet at the Charlottetown Airport these days.With only one flight arriving and departing daily, there's not much activity in the terminal.

But, despite a lack of travellers, Budley's, the restaurant in the airport, is still open.

And businessis good.

"Lately I've been able to bring back some staff that were laid off because of the pandemic," said owner Earl Oliver. "And also I've just recently hired two new staff members and one potentially [is] coming in next week."

The restaurant closed for a month or two at the start of the pandemic, said Oliver. Butthen he started to offer curbside pickup and some other services.

"I went further and got involved in this burger review page that's on Facebook," he said. "And it reallyhas taken off."

Oliver posts his menu items to the group, and people are actively reviewing the restaurant's food. He said the Facebook pageis directly responsible for an increase in business.

"I would say it's got to be at least 60 or 70 per cent of the traffic coming in."

Oliver said passengers on the two flights aren't allowed to visit the restaurant. But he's still doing about the half the business he would in a normal year.

"It feels good for sure," he said.

Foodie Facebook

Erin Davis, an administrator on the PEI's Burger & Delicious Food Reviews page, said the site has grown since the start of the pandemic and now has 7,000 members.Mostlive on P.E.I., said Davis.

Davis makes it her job to go to as many restaurants on the Island as possible,posting about what she had. She pays for her own meal.

It's her way of supporting the restaurant industry in a tough time.

"That's what the page is all about. We are a community and we're there to help each other," said Davis.

"They say if you have a bad experience, they'll tell 10 people.Well, we're trying to educate the public and [if] you have a good experience, tell it. And it's working."

Even if she doesn't enjoy a meal, she'll post about it, but it won't be negative.

"That's what we all want to reinforce on the page is a positive experience," she said.

It's not just the airport restaurant feeling the boost in business from the group.

'It's insane how busy we've been'

Matthew Feehan, the executive chef at Uptown Lounge for a year and a half, said he routinely posts on the page, but reviewers are also posting and raving about his food.

"It's insane how busy we've been since September, even after the last lockdown. We are tremendously busy.

"I attribute that to the burger page a lot, to be honest," he said.

Feehansaid the business has increased by 75 per cent in his time there and hehas brought in staff to keep up with the demand. He's not the only one in the kitchen anymore.

He said they've been so busy some days they've had to turn away regular customers.

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