A temporary ban on indoor dining went into effect Saturday across Pennsylvania.
âItâs affecting us and definitely the staff,â said Michael Theodore, owner of the Arena Bar and Grill in Wilkes-Barre.
The ban, issued by Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday to stop the spread of COVID-19, is slated to end Jan. 4.
Theodore said he had 15 employees working Friday while indoor dining was still allowed. But Theodore and his partner could not afford to schedule employees for their regular shifts on Saturday without indoor dining.
âWeâre the owners, and weâre doing everything,â he said. âWe really canât afford to pay staff for a small amount of business. Thereâs minimal mark up on food. .. We just canât afford to keep staff on. Weâre lucky we have a core group of employees who have been with us for a long time.â