cuisine queen
by Paula [paula@ocalasgoodlife.com]
The Coronavirus Blues
U
nfortunately, the talk these days in hospitality is more about closures and surviving than openings. Let’s go over some of them to save you a trip. As of this writing, my research shows Cody’s Original Roadhouse on SR200 is permanently closed but others are still open. Also permanently closed in Ocala are Sweet Potatoes, Crossroads Country Kitchen, Darrell’s Diner (Hwy. 27), Feta Mediterranean Cuisine, Bruster’s Ice Cream, Ocean Buffet, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, and the pizzeria in the same building, Tuva Oven. In Belleview, Off The Hook; in Dunnellon, Barn Goddess BBQ, and in The Villages, Sweet Tomatoes, along with sister company, Souplantation. Golden Corral in Ocala is temporarily closed. Out of 480-plus stores, 35 were reported closed in March and 2,290 employees were unemployed. According to verdictfoodservice.com, Golden Corral is helping their past employees by supplying food while they look for employment or until reopening. The chain is slowly reopening selected locations with family-style dining in some stores and cafeteria-style options in others. Serving utensils are not being touched by customers in either situation. Across the U.S., closures included a combined amount of 1400 between Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and McDonald’s with Dunkin Donuts planning to close many more. Because of the amount of people that are not commuting to work or working at home, sales have plummeted in these stores. Dine-in is a rare treat, as many of these are offering drive-through only.
I hope to deliver better news in my next column, including new openings.
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McDonald’s has removed grilled chicken and salads from their menu and will be removing more. Senior Vice President of Operations Bill Garrett decided on this “to simplify operations in our kitchens” and “to ensure the best possible experience.” Huh? More items will be removed in coming weeks, narrowing down to what Garrett refers to as “favorites.” The website, delish.com, informs nearly 16,000 restaurants have closed since July. According to cnn. com, 60% of restaurant closures are permanent. Userreview and recommendation sites such as Trip Advisor and Yelp are asking Internet surfers to please help with knowledge of closings since they can’t keep up. On a good note, if you will, fast-casual restaurants have already picked up on drive-through, such as Sonny’s BBQ, Panera Bread, and Chipotle. Instead of a special parking space to pick up your order at a steak restaurant, soon you may be able to stay in your car and pick up from a window. Digital ordering from your device will also play an integral part of drivethrough growth. Most restaurants mandate masks for all employees, while others, do not. There are too many to list here and I suggest you do what I’ve seen others doing. Contact the restaurant via Facebook or phone and ask. Also, have you ever wondered how clean those rags are that are repeatedly used to wipe down tables? The Square Meal, 685-2288, in Salt Springs is a very busy breakfast/lunch restaurant. Owner Cyndi Newbern uses Sertun, a rechargeable sanitizing towel that changes color when it runs out of sanitizing chemical in the towel. Newbern also says that wiping seats with the same table towel is a big no-no in her restaurant. I hope to deliver better news in my next column, including new openings and would love to hear from you. Correction: Thanks to one of our readers, Susan, for catching my blooper in the July/August column. I put two thoughts together in one paragraph, giving the impression that servers’ tips went to restaurant costs. Surely not my intention and I’m appreciative she called me on it so that I can make this important correction. Remember, tip your server whether it’s pick up or dine-in!
Got A Hot Tip For The Cuisine Queen? E-mail me at paula@ocalasgoodlife.com
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