A state mandate closing all bars and banning dine-in service at restaurants in Alaska went into effect at 5 p.m. March 18.
The governor’s announcement was made Tuesday evening. It includes, “All bars, breweries, restaurants, food and beverage kiosks or trucks and other establishments serving food or beverages within the state of Alaska.”
Carryout, drive-through and delivery services are still allowed. Grocery stores and other retail food establishments are not affected, except that buffets and salad bars are closed to self-service.
Many restaurants on the Kenai Peninsula are shifting to take-out and are starting up delivery service to compensate.
Veronica’s Café in Kenai will start doing deliveries Thursday. They’ll bring food to your vehicle or drive it to your location.
Owner Kim Pyfer will be one of the deliverers. She’s hoping this new service generates enough business to keep their nine employees working.
“Our outlook is to start tomorrow morning, early, putting it out there that we’ll deliver coffees or any kind of muffins, cookies, anything that they want in the morning. Then at 10:30 we’re going to switch over to pick up or delivery of lunches. We’re incorporating the delivery with the hopes that we can keep generating some form of income and keep our employees, you know, still employed,” Pyfer said.
Pyfer says the restriction on dine-in service comes at a tough time. March is already a slow time of year. It’s been a cold winter, so utility bills have been high. Then there’re all the usual costs of rent, purchasing food, insurance and the like that don’t go away just because a virus is on the loose.
“Right now, I don’t know what the hardship’s going to be. We have to see how it’s going to be for the next few days to see whether or not we’re going to be able to make payroll. And if we can’t make payroll, then something’s got to give. And we’re hoping it’s only going to be for a couple of weeks. But we just need to be able to do something in order to keep things going,” she said.
The ban on bars and dine-in restaurants in Alaska is in effect until 5 p.m. April 1.
