LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — As people enjoyed 'the last supper' inside restaurants Friday night, some restaurant owners wondered how they would make it through the next set of restrictions.
Governor Tom Wolf announced new restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 Thursday.
As part of the mitigation efforts, restaurants must shutdown indoor dining service beginning Saturday and ending January 4, 2021.
Restaurants can still offer outdoor dining service though. However, there is no telling if it will stay warm enough for customers to enjoy. Some businesses, like Lancaster Dispensing Company, don't see the benefit of trying.
"We lose less money by being closed. Right now, we can barely make payroll, let alone the other bills, so um, yeah," explained Fryth Stallings, a 25-year employee of Dipco.
Stallings held back tears as she explained why Dipco can't stay open.
"We can't stay open. We can't pay anybody," she said. "I don't know what is going to happen in March. It depends on if the vaccine is available, and if the majority of the population is able to get it. Our business model is a line out of the door and as many people as we can get in the place."
Now, Stallings says business has dropped about 90% compared to what it was this time last year. During the summer, it increased slightly. Even then, it was nowhere near the bustle Dipco is accustomed to seeing.
"Our fridges and walk-ins are empty, and they have been for a while because we don't order that much food anymore," explained Stallings.
The business blames the pandemic and not customers.
"Since it got cold, we pretty much lost outdoor seating," said Stallings. "I understand nobody wants to sit outside in 40 degrees. The heaters work but not that well, and with the current surges, I understand why nobody wants to come out and eat inside."
Friday actually brought more business than usual.
"I'm seeing a ton of people we all know, and if you know Dipco, it's all about regulars, and just about everybody has been sympathetic," added Stallings.
That included the Rampullas of Leola, Lancaster County.
"The fact that it's the holidays, and a lot of people go out for the holidays, and restaurants geared up for that," said Anne Rampulla. "They bought food, they bought supplies, and now, they're not going to have the customers come. I just think it's such a shame for them."
The couple plans to help as many restaurants as they can.
"We'll be doing takeout for small businesses in the next three weeks as much as we can," added Rampulla.
As for Dipco, it's been around since 1978. It survived a 2017 fire, and Stallings believes it will make it through the 2020 pandemic.
"We even had t-shirts made with a little phoenix on them. Now, we're going to get more with 2.0 phoenix because we'll come back," she said.