Music online and free toilet paper: A look at how restaurants are doing amid coronavirus
On a regular spring night, Dead Dog Saloon in Murrells Inlet would have a full dining room of residents and tourists enjoying the food, ambiance and live music. Now in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, musicians are performing in an empty room for a live Facebook feed that has reached thousands of homes.
The popular eatery, similar to others along the Grand Strand, is altering how its business operates following Tuesday’s announcement that all dine-in restaurants statewide would be forced to close to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. With take-out options available and free meals for kids and teens, one thing remains the same at Dead Dog Saloon: the music.
Known for featuring local musicians, Dead Dog Saloon is continuing the tradition via Facebook Live from noon to 7 p.m. to ease the panic and keep customers informed. Musicians can perform for free with the option to receive tips via Venmo, but managing partner Michael Campbell said it’s important to keep people connected.
“We’re just trying to keep the live music going during the day while we’re open for our curbside business, and a lot of people are tuning in to see who’s performing and we’re going to stay connected to our folks out there and give them ideas on what we’re promoting here,” Campbell said. “It’s been very important on social media to get the word out that we are here and we’re ready to feed whoever is going to come by and place an order with us.”
Campbell added the spread of COVID-19 has forced him to change how he conducts business. Other restaurateurs are feeling the same pressure to adjust to ensure the community is fed and their doors stay open.
Jill Vaugh, who owns Crave in Myrtle Beach, noted how quiet it’s been during the week, but is keeping a positive attitude.
With a regular menu offered to customers for takeout and curbside, she added 25 percent discounts are being placed on certain menu items, including beer and wine, and family-size meals with bread and salad fixings are available at a lower cost starting at about $25.
“We’re just trying to look at the positive side of it that we are still able to be open, do a little bit of business and give back to the community and letting them come out,” Vaugh said. “We know this time is difficult for everyone.”
While the restaurant is currently operating on takeout orders, she said she’ll work to deliver orders for those in need if she has to, asserting she’ll do whatever it takes to get food to people. However, delivery options are available to customers via Ubereats and DoorDash.
Over at Socastee Station Thursday morning, waitress Taylor Barnett had just completed her first-ever delivery in her four years working for the Myrtle Beach area pub. With every pick-up or delivery order, customers get a free roll of toilet paper, she said.
“It feels good to help people,” Barnett said. “At first we were so unsure when the government shut everything down, but now that we’ve seen what we’re able to do with delivery and to-go orders, it’s exciting because it keeps us knowing we have some type of income coming in.”
With takeout orders nothing new to Socastee Station owner Ed Flambard, said he’s been working fast to get accustomed to delivery orders, something his restaurant has never done before, and ensuring the ordering process is accommodating and convenient to customers.
He said the business plans to launch a new website in the coming weeks with online ordering as an option, adding that he’s been doing his due diligence to keep his staff employed and stay on top of the continuous changes announced each day.
“Everybody has had to act quickly,” Flambard said. “You got to stay ahead of the game.”
However, while Flambard has seen enough success to afford to keep his staff employed, hundreds of service workers are currently out of work throughout the state and being advised to file for unemployment. Several area restaurants, including Dead Dog Saloon and Crave, were forced to let go of their wait staff due to unforeseeable limitations.
But Sara J’s Seafood Restaurant owner Chase Adams said that while he’s changed his menu to provide more affordable and kid-friendly options and is now offering delivery service, he’ll keep his staff on for as long as he can. Despite the expectation there will be a decline in business, he said he wants his staff to feel confident they have some income to support their families.
“I have no intentions of laying them off,” Adams said. “Their hours will be cut, but I want to take care of them as much as I can.”
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 2:25 PM.
