The Great American Takeout Hopes To Help Struggling Bars, Restaurants During COVID-19 Pandemic
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Restaurants are coming together and calling on you to order takeout amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It's called the Great American Takeout Day, and it's to help some of your favorite restaurants survive.
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It's a call to customers to order takeout for at least one meal on March 24.
"Our office decided to treat ourselves, and we ordered for a few days," one customer said.
Dubbed The Great American Takeout, it was organized by local and national restaurants to help stir up business.
"We are trying to keep our staff open and keep our staff employed, even on a skeleton crew," said John Linderman, the general manager at Glyndon Grill.
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At the Glyndon Grill, they've been relying on social media to let customers know about their curbside pick-up and family-style meals. But they said campaigns like this one are a huge help.
"Getting the word out that there are restaurants, we are open, we are here to serve the public, is huge," said Linderman.
At Cafe Troia, a from-scratch Italian restaurant in Towson, takeout typically isn't their bread and butter.
"Normally it is a fraction of what we do, now it's all we do," said owner Lisa Troia-Martin.
Like so many others, Troia-Martin said they've had to adapt.
"We have a new paradigm, we're trying to just hang on and make the best of a really tough situation," Troia Martin said.
The Great American takeout could help make this tough situation a little easier.
"Everything is a boost, everything is a shot in the arm to help us get through this tough time," Troia Martin said.
By ordering takeout, you're not only supporting the restaurants, but you're supporting their employees; making sure that when this all ends, they have a job to come back to.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
