It was inevitable and rumors were more and more persistent because positive COVID cases had been climbing exponentially in Quebec since the middle of December. The bad news of the dining hall closures came just hours into one of the most important days of the year for restaurant owners. This time, how did they react to this announcement? Follow us for a tour!

The ax fell on December 30, in the early evening. Prime Minister François Legault ordered a new closure of the dining rooms, effective less than 24 hours later, at 5 p.m. the next day.

Yet, just the previous week, the government's health trio announced that the holidays were going to go off in a nearly normal fashion. Reassured, the restaurateurs then made the decision to order food with a busy December 31st. But now, once the fridge and freezer are full, they have to take another hard blow.

Significant financial losses are to be expected.

In fact, many organizations fighting against food waste have received food from these restaurants and have been able to cook meals and give them to those in greatest need.
In the restaurant business, morale is low and managers are angry. They say they are once again abandoned by the government when several health measures are in place and the vaccination passport is necessary to take place. According to Peter Sergakis, owner of several establishments, restaurants are safe places.

Fabio Monti, owner of Atelier and Ophélia in Quebec City, denounces the closure as restaurants began to see light at the end of the tunnel. Waiting until the last minute to announce it pissed him off.

This is also what Yannick Parent thinks, owner of Bello Ristorante and Don Vegan in Quebec, among others, this announcement, only a few hours' notice, is very disrespectful.

Now restaurateurs must once again focus on delivery and take out orders. They have no choice but to go back to this method which became so popular in March 2020.

But for how long? The owners of the various establishments met by our colleagues are not very optimistic. For example, Charles Picard-Duquette, owner of the Buvette du Centro in Sherbrooke, recalls that the first curfew announced in January 2021 was only to last a few weeks. It had finally been extended until May!

By then, the government has promised financial aid to all restaurant owners who lost significant sales on the evening of December 31.

This is a non-refundable financial contribution of up to a maximum of $ 10,000 and is available in the AERAM program. This amount should cover the costs of purchasing perishable items that have not been used.

The bets are now open: how many restaurants will be able to survive this new closure? And for how long will they see their dining room closed?

Sources: Journal de Montréal, Journal de Québec, Tribune and Devoir.