Restaurants making tough decisions during shutdown

Some restaurants on P.E.I.have been forced to cut back hours and lay off employees as new public health measures forbidding indoor dining take effect.

While takeout is still allowed, it doesn'tnearly make up for the lost revenue, said Xi Cai, manager of Mr. Sushi in Charlottetown.

"Like, one third of sales, so it's not like super good," she said.

Without indoor dining, the business has made some difficult choices. Employee hours have been cut and some have been let go. The restaurant has cut back its hours of operation, as well, as Cai tries to find ways to keep money coming in.

"We're trying to kind of change our, like, online menu and one of the takeout app, we're trying to launch them maybe next two weeks.Hopefully we'll have like more takeout."

The same conversations are going on at the nearby Himalayan Indian Cuisine on Great George Street.

Owner Anuj Thapa said the restaurant, which has two locations in Charlottetown, has also had to lay off employees.

We are trying to survive. Anuj Thapa

"We are trying to survive, but in this location, we are seeing how we go within these two, three days and we might close this location and focus on another location, because this is a midday, nobody is here, no calls, nothing."

Thapa said the closure wouldn't be permanent. At the other location, on Eden Street, for the sale of every gift card, Thapa is offering a free side off the menu as a way to give back and keep staff busy.

"We don't have any profit on that gift card, but we just want to make sure all the staff is working. They have work, you know."

In Kensington, Christmas is the busiest time of year for Family & Friends Restaurant.

It had lots of bookings for this week and next andsome of the food for those reservations was already in house, said owner Charlene Gill.

"Some of it was cooked up, unfortunately, that'll be wasted. But the other stuff that's not it's in the freezer maybe will run in the Christmas menu through the month of January."

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