The service industry and the restaurants that feed us are among the many things that make Irvine great. With establishments as varied and diverse as our community, you can find a five star meal of any cuisine close by. A favorite pastime for many of us has been trying new dishes and dining at our favorite local haunts. Since the era of COVID-19, many owners have had to temporarily – perhaps permanently – close their doors as the economy struggles and public health is threatened. 

Despite the challenges, a tenacious group has remained determined to continue their operations by shifting to a takeaway-only business model. From keeping Irvine fed to ensuring their staff’s income, we asked some local eateries why they have remained open, what challenges they are facing, and how they can be best supported. 

“We feel, given our safety protocols and procedures, the lack of touch points within our establishment, we are a safer alternative to shopping at grocery markets. In addition, seafood is a proven immune and mood booster, so it’s important people stay healthy in the midst of this crisis,” says founder, CEO and executive chef of Slapfish, Andrew Gruel, when asked for his reasons for continuing service. 

Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar on Jamboree believes that comfort is key in times of uncertainty. “Serving the community is the foundation upon which Lazy Dog was built,” they explain. “We believe we are in a place to continue to provide comfort and good food to help people through this and we are doing everything we can to serve our guests with take-out/delivery options, affordable family meals and pantry essentials.”

The choice to keep the lights on was not one that was taken lightly, as concerns about operating costs, safety and the ability to adapt to pandemic protocols weigh heavily on owners and managers. 

Everyday Eatery (Bret Kavanaugh)

“We wrestled with the decision to stay open,” shares Nasim & Brian Clark of Everyday Eatery. “We know that our staff need hours to pay their bills, and that our community needs healthy food options for take-out and delivery. We have a number of medical centers and hospitals in the area, and many of those nurses and doctors are our regular customers, and sometimes our food and coffee are the highlight of their day. Our main concern was that we didn’t want to encourage people to gather around our restaurant, as we usually have long lines and a fun social atmosphere, but we felt that if we could institute excellent safety protocols we would be able to continue serving our customers and staff in a healthy way.”

In order to provide the best service possible, many have been reaching out to their customers for feedback on what they need most, modifying their business model to fit consumer demand. Some are offering groceries, others are ensuring out-of-school kids are still being fed.

“We heard from our guests how hard it is right now to get groceries so we’ve started the Lazy Dog home essentials pack,” reports Barbara from Lazy Dog. “For $40, you get eggs, milk, bread, butter, rice, vegetables, chicken and yes, 3 rolls of toilet paper. Guests can pre-order and reserve their curbside pick up online at lazydogrestaurants.com.”

“We are offering ‘Kids Eat Free’ seven days a week, all-day due to schools being closed,” adds Slapfish’s Andrew Gruel. 

Tim Ho Wan, one of our favorite spots for Cantonese-style dim sum, is cutting costs to make their menu available to everyone. “We offer many deals on our 3rd parties take out, currently we have DoorDash, Postmates, Fantuan and GrubHub,” explains manager Teddy Wiwat. He hopes that everyone will practice social distancing, stay home, and order delivery for their needs as much as possible. 

(Courtesy of Tim Ho Wan)

Everyday Eatery knows that groceries are an essential need, and is concerned about the crowding seen at local markets. “It’s shocking for us to see long lines to get into empty supermarkets,” says owners Nasim and Brian Clark. “We are making our wholesale supply available to our customers by purchasing groceries in bulk, and breaking them down into smaller lots for our customers to order. We are making things like bread, cheese, rice, grains, tomatoes, fruits and vegetables, berries and nuts, and many other grocery items available that can be very hard to find right now. This is all new to us and not a profit-center. We are just making sure we can pay for the packaging and labor, and provide supermarket-competitive pricing for those unable to find essentials.”

In addition to providing wholesale grocery options, they are also honoring those who are working the front lines of the pandemic. 

“If you’re a doctor, nurse, or medical technician in the area dealing with everything that is happening now, come get a free coffee or iced tea. You’ve earned it,” appreciates the team at Everyday Eatery. 

Lazy Dog is doing something similar. “Now you can sponsor a meal for a frontline health care worker. Guests can go to the Lazy Dog website and contribute to buy meals for those who are healthcare heroes who are helping patients,” explains the team. “Lazy Dog locations are delivering meals to hospitals and now guests can help support this.”

Lazy Dog is also offering Family Meals that feed 5 for $30 and under. For every meal ordered they donate one to an organization serving those in need. To date, more than 10,000 meals have been donated.

In order to stay open, Irvine establishments have had to adhere to strict safety protocols, including the use of masks, gloves, and constant sanitization – all while remaining 6ft apart. 

“We heavily sanitized door handles, any high- point contact area,” explains Teddy of Tim Ho Wan. They also change their sanitizer constantly, wear masks, and practice a vigorous hand washing routine. 

Slapfish, Lazy Dog, and Everyday Eatery are all doing the same.

“Our owner was previously a practicing dentist for more than 10 years, and is extremely familiar with cross-contamination and safety and sterilization procedures,” explains the staff at Everyday Eatery. “We restrict entry to one customer household at a time, and have moved our counter to block further entry into the dining area. We sterilize our counter, tables, payment systems and all surfaces regularly and often, and ensure the door is propped open so that no contact is required to enter the restaurant. We have a dedicated contactless pick-up table, and can take orders and deliver curbside with our mobile payment processing. Our staff always wear gloves, and we have hand sanitizer available for all customers. These are all in addition to our usual hand washing and sanitizing routines.”

Despite their determination to practice business as usual as much as possible, times are still hard for those still open. 

“We are all concerned for our families, our teammates and their families and the community,” shares Barbara with Lazy Dog. She remains hopeful, however, saying, “this is a time for us to use our resources to help people in the community today and throughout this challenging time. We know that guests will gather around our tables again and enjoy comforting foods with people they care about. We all look forward to that.”

Tim Ho Wan’s manager acknowledges that times are tough. “This situation has impacted the restaurant industry heavily, many restaurant(s) have to close down and some may never open back up even after this pandemic. We are grateful that we can still offer take out and most importantly, [are] able to keep some of our team members working. This has definitely been one of hardest times for the industry we are in, but we have to be strong and support each other to beat this Pandemic,” confides Teddy. 

How can the community help the service industry? By listening to the advice of the CDC and health agencies and practicing social distancing as much as possible, says Brian with Everyday Eatery. “If you would like food or coffee from us (we appreciate the support of our business) consider placing an online order through our website for contactless pick-up, or a phone order for faster service. Delivery is also a great option. Use contactless payment or credit card whenever possible.”

For a full list of takeout options available in Irvine, see our previous article. 

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