The Times Digs Into The State Of Lower Manhattan Restaurants And It’s Pretty Grim
In an article in the New York Times published on Sunday, they give us the inside scoop on how many restaurants and the people who work at them are faring after hurricane Sandy. The verdict? It’s maybe not quite as bad as after Sept. 11, but close. A lot of people who work in restaurants that are still closed or are losing business due to a lack of phone or Internet service have been laid off permanently or temporarily. Many businesses are surviving on a cash only system, which as we all know is not ideal when a lot of people only carry cards or order food on Seamless.
I know some of these inconveniences myself because my office has been effectively shuttered since the hurricane, which is why there haven’t been as many posts on the site as normal. I find out many food-related things just by walking around, and it’s hard to keep tabs on what’s happening downtown when you’re working from home in another borough.
The Times points out that some places, like Pizza Pizza, are operational but don’t have phone lines to take orders. I was at a restaurant in the Financial District last week and they were using one of those credit card imprint machines to take payments. Other eating spots were so badly flooded it’s going to be at least a couple of months before they can start serving food again. It’s very strange to not see a line snaking out the door from the neighborhood’s Potbelly Sandwich Shops during lunch time.
Still, places continue to reopen and after the New Year I hope to be back at work in Lower Manhattan, as I’m sure a lot of you do. In the meantime, I have a favor to ask: If you see something you think other Downtown Lunch readers would be interested in, like a new place that’s finally opened, one of the storm damaged lunch spots reopening its doors, or paper going up announcing something forthcoming, shoot a picture on your phone and send it to downtown@midtownlunch.com. You’ve all been great about tipping us off about food-related tidbits in the past, and now we need your eyes and taste buds more than ever.
In the meantime, if you weren’t displaced by the storm, go eat lunch at your favorite cart, truck or brick and mortar. Just bring cash.
Posted by Andrea H at 10:00 am, December 11th, 2012 under Financial District.
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2 Comments
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You are correct. You basically just have to walk in the street because half the sidewalks are impassible.
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One point the author misses is that, even though many of us are back down here working (and many are not–and won’t be back for months) it’s so uncomfortable to walk around down here–sidewalks are blocked with equipment and trucks, streets are closed, traffic is impossible, the diesel fumes–that I usually get into my office and don’t leave my little block until it’s time to go home. I can’t be the only person who is doing this, and it’s got to be having an effect on these businesses.