patronizing local restaurants isn't easy! (Rockland, Belfast: appointed, house, unemployment)

[Cuffler]

Hi all.

Yesterday (Sunday) my wife and I decided to explore the midcoast area a bit more and decided to eat at one popular and particular lobster "shack" near Spruce Point. When we got there the lines were so long we decided to try some place else. We used our GPS to local other restaurants in the area. Well, after six (!) places we tried were closed we were a bit disappointed.

We continued to look and even in Rockland the bulk of eateries were closed on Sunday. We felt like we were back in the late 1950s where everything was closed on Sunday. We did finally find a restaurant that we had patronized three times before on the bay in Rockland and enjoyed a nice Sunday lunch on their porch overlooking the marina.

Afterwards we decided to continue looking for what was opened and closed and found that the vast majority of restaurants in our area from Belfast to Camden and through Rockland are, in fact, closed on at LEAST Sunday. Some Sunday to Wednesday then open only on Thursday, Friday & Saturday and even then only for dinner (5PM) to 930pm! This is really amazing in light of the fact that they lost so much money last year. It is most probably a reflection of lack of help, however, and in the supply chain. Still, it's so weird.

We've learned our lesson and won't leave the house unless we've called to confirm that any particular restaurant is open and if they require reservations. That's another issue. Since they are only open such limited hours reservations are hard to come by if you want to be spontaneous.

So, just a suggestion to you all to make that call before you drive and waste the gas and time and get upset when your previously favorite food service business is closed or booked for two days. Hopefully, when all this Covid mess resolves itself and people get back to working instead of waiting for checks in the mail this too shall pass!

[roadrat]

Originally Posted by Cuffler

Hi all.

Yesterday (Sunday) my wife and I decided to explore the midcoast area a bit more and decided to eat at one popular and particular lobster "shack" near Spruce Point. When we got there the lines were so long we decided to try some place else. We used our GPS to local other restaurants in the area. Well, after six (!) places we tried were closed we were a bit disappointed.

We continued to look and even in Rockland the bulk of eateries were closed on Sunday. We felt like we were back in the late 1950s where everything was closed on Sunday. We did finally find a restaurant that we had patronized three times before on the bay in Rockland and enjoyed a nice Sunday lunch on their porch overlooking the marina.

Afterwards we decided to continue looking for what was opened and closed and found that the vast majority of restaurants in our area from Belfast to Camden and through Rockland are, in fact, closed on at LEAST Sunday. Some Sunday to Wednesday then open only on Thursday, Friday & Saturday and even then only for dinner (5PM) to 930pm! This is really amazing in light of the fact that they lost so much money last year. It is most probably a reflection of lack of help, however, and in the supply chain. Still, it's so weird.

We've learned our lesson and won't leave the house unless we've called to confirm that any particular restaurant is open and if they require reservations. That's another issue. Since they are only open such limited hours reservations are hard to come by if you want to be spontaneous.

So, just a suggestion to you all to make that call before you drive and waste the gas and time and get upset when your previously favorite food service business is closed or booked for two days. Hopefully, when all this Covid mess resolves itself and people get back to working instead of waiting for checks in the mail this too shall pass!

Many places I used to frequent have had to close several days a week, and sometimes earlier than they normally would. It should start returning to somewhat normal soon, the government checks have ended and as my DW (who works for The dept. of Labor) has noticed her case load is dropping like a stone in deep water.
It seems that a lot of people collecting the extra $300 a week failed to read the paper work being sent to them, When the $300 ended so did there regular unemployment.
Many are scrambling to find jobs now.

Not all is well though, If you heat your home with Oil you may not want to wait until the tank is near empty. The driver shortage is very bad and its going to affect prices a lot, Dead River is offering a $3000.00 sign on bonus for drivers....And you can bet that money is going to be coming out of your pocket not there's.