Restaurant Week is back starting Sunday, but a staffing shortage has owners asking customers for patience.
With more than 100 restaurants participating throughout the county, it's a chance for people to expand their culinary horizons, said Restaurant Week chairman Andy Baumann. He's also the owner of Tom Ham's Lighthouse on Shelter Island.
“If Restaurant Week is a way for somebody to get a discount to come see my location and be a fan of ours forever, that is why we participate in Restaurant Week," he said. "This is our 17th year.”
Participating restaurants will offer prix-fixe menus ranging from $10 to $25 per person for a two-course lunch and $20 to $60 for a three-course dinner.
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With all the pivoting that restaurants have done in the past 18 months or so, North Park's One Door North and The Smoking Goat owner Tammy Pehl was worried about how to support her staff. She said just having Restaurant Week again is a welcome change.
“With Restaurant Week and the opening back up of restaurants, it’s been great to have that worry alleviated,” she said.
While many people are excited about eating out again, restaurant owners are asking people to be patient because they're still having a hard time hiring servers. The staffing shortage has hit the restaurant industry especially hard.
Baumann said he's been having a hard hiring people for a variety of positions, such as dishwashers. Restaurant owners have increased wages but some people aren’t willing to go back to work just yet.
"People are not really applying," Baumann said. "It's not just us, it's delivery services as well. It's lower-level jobs like our dishwashers, the guys who load the trucks ... that is generally what's going on."
While the dining experience won’t be what many are used to pre-pandemic, owners say diners should cut their servers some slack and enjoy the experience.
"Everyone is anxious to get out, some haven't been out in over 18 months," he said. "And they want to go out and they want service to be exactly the way it was from then. Well, we aren't an Amazon factory."
Restaurant Week runs from Sunday, Sept. 26 through Oct. 3. Click here for a list of participating restaurants.
