The Great American Takeout is a time to help the restaurant industry by patronizing your local restaurants. Many restaurants have had to lay off workers just to stay in business. Symeon’s Restaturant owner, Symeon Tsoupelis, knows the customers smallest of gestures go a long way.

"They’ve been extremely generous in tipping on their orders which is helping all the staff out immensely. You know that’s something we… that is above and beyond anything we’ve ever seen."

Symeon has been getting enough takeout orders to keep his business going, but knows many restaurants aren’t going to make it without local support. He says while the restaurant business is struggling, other businesses are doing well.

"This is hitting just about everybody. I mean there are a few businesses here that are still going 100%, and there are some fortunate ones that are going at 120% right now."

Casa Imports supplies local restaurants with the products they need to survive. Casa Imports Public Relations Specialist Joann Fornino says they're busier than ever with orders the restaurants need to make ends meet.

"Because of this takeout, they need a supplier. Fortunately for us all of the customers have been coming here to purchase from us knowing that we have no problem getting in supplies."

They’re also concerned about preventing the spread of the coronavirus, so they’ve taken steps to keep people apart.
Casa decided to close their cash and carry room because it’s too small for social distancing, but have come up with a way for local restaurants to maintain their supplies so they can continue to provide takeout food to their customers.

"In the morning you can call for your orders. We’ll get all of our orders staged, and then between the hours of 12 and 3 you can come… and afterwards we’ll show you exactly where you need to go. You’re going to come pick up right at our door. We can handle everything there. That way everybody is safe."

Keeping the restaurant personnel from getting sick is important, but Delmonico’s General Manager Donald Allison believes without local support, the restaurants may not survive the financial hit.

"It’s tough times. I mean it’s unprecedented. You know we’ve never seen anything like this, so we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen here in the future."