Photo: Lila Smith ’22. Usually bustling with activity Main Street is empty due to social distancing.
As Coronavirus cases in New Jersey continue to grow, all non-essential businesses must remain closed indefinitely. Restaurants and bars have remained open but can no longer seat customers, and they can only provide curbside pick-up, takeout orders, or delivery. Many small restaurants around Moorestown have been forced to change the way they serve their customers in order to stay in business.
Wordsworth spoke with a Cubby Hole staff member, who explained that they will continue to serve customers through curbside pick up and delivery. To order from The Cubby Hole click here.
Passariello’s is currently closed but has placed up signs saying that they will be reopening on April 27th. Aani Desai ’22 said, “I miss being able to order from Passariello’s; however, I am glad they shut down for some time because I’d rather be safe than eat pizza.”
Carollo’s Little Italy is also providing delivery, take-out, and curbside pick up. Wordsworth spoke with one employee who explained that curbside pick-up causes the restaurant to be busier than usual since the workers need to gather all the food to bring it outside to the customers’ cars. Carollo’s is also selling take-home pizza kits. Carollo’s announced over Facebook that the restaurant had provided food for the medical staff at Virtua Hospital in Voorhees. To order from Carollo’s click here.
Photo: Lila Smith ’22. Empty seats at Cathy’s Carryout.
Cathy’s Carryout Cuisine on Main Street has continued to serve its customers. Wordsworth spoke with Cathy’s Carryout Cuisine: “We’ve had over fifty event cancelations. We are no longer catering, but we are still offering curbside pick up for meals.” They have also raised funds over Facebook to provide free catering for staff in local hospitals. To order from Cathy’s Carryout Cuisine click here.
Akira, the popular Hibachi restaurant, has remained open and is offering take out and delivery. Morgan Stepanski ’22 described her delivery experience: “The main thing that has changed is when they drop off your food they don’t hand it to you; instead they leave it at the door. You also pay by credit card, so there is no interaction with the person delivering and the customer receiving the food.” To order from Akira click here.
An employee from Luna y Sol told Wordsworth that they will continue their services through delivery and curbside pick-up. The employee also mentioned that customers are able to order from the restaurant through the platforms Grubhub and DoorDash. To order from Luna y Sol click here.
Maurizio’s Bistro, a sit-down Italian restaurant, originally closed in response to COVID-19; however, recently the location has reopened for curbside pickup with a limited menu. Math teacher Ron Obermeier ordered from Maurizio’s and explained that the staff was good at having limited interaction with him while he picked up his order. To order from Maurizio’s Bistro click here.
Starbucks announced on its website that they have temporarily closed all cafes, but will continue their drive-thru services.
Moorestown is far from the only town being affected economically by the Coronavirus. Restaurants around the country are rushing to adapt to the new circumstances to survive. While customers are unable to shop in person, many stores are turning to online alternatives and offering free delivery or pickup.
In addition to take out, numerous small food providers have started selling their meals over online platforms such as Goldbelly. Prior to the outbreak, Goldbelly was a popular platform that supports small restaurants by allowing customers to order their food from around the country.
Now, the platform has realized its potential to help small restaurants stay in business during the crisis. Popular purchases through the platform include signature dishes from different cities such as Chicago-style deep dish pizzas and Philly cheesesteaks. Goldbelly has even created an initiative called Givebelly to give back to health care workers. To order from Goldbelly or help with their initiative click here.
One way restaurants are attempting to stimulate short term cash flow is through promoting the sale of gift cards. Many food providers and service companies hope that sales through gift cards will help keep them afloat while customers are unable to enjoy their services. Some restaurants have partnered with nearby businesses to offer with their food delivery and pickup orders free gift cards from the other businesses.
