вЂњI was the only one in my kitchen that wore a mask,вЂќ she said.ДЄ Centers for Disease Control and PreventionВ study released in September found a strong correlation between patronizing bars and restaurants and the spread of the coronavirus. Moreau said she left the job she held at the beginning of 2020 over the restaurantвЂ™s blaseВ attitude toward the pandemic. вЂњI went three months without hugging my mother,вЂќ she said. Moreau, for example, worries about the safety of her elderly parents.

Saru Jayaraman, president of the advocacy group One Fair Wage and director of the Food Labor Research Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, said a majority of restaurant workers have close contact with someone who is at high risk of infection, and decided working is not worth putting those relatives at risk.

Fears of pandemic, worries over safety may be keeping workers awayДЄdvincula and other advocates say fear of COVID-19 keeps unemployed restaurant workers from taking new jobs. вЂњWe always take this from the perspective of the restaurant owner rather than the perspective of the workers,вЂќ said Anthony Advincula, communications director for Restaurant Opportunities Centers (ROC) United, a nonprofit devoted to improving the lives of restaurant workers. She is now a line cook at the Overlook Kitchen and Bar in the Summit Hotel in Cincinnati. вЂњI want to work and earn the money I'm making,вЂќ she said. 'On unemployment, I was bringing home (more than) $800 every two weeks,' she said.Д«ut Moreau also challenges the notion that workers would rather stay home and accept higher unemployment payments. Jennifer Moreau, who works at a Cincinnati restaurant, said a line cook job she held in the fall and early summer paid roughly $700 every two weeks. Ohio Restaurant Association spokesperson Homa Moheimani attributed the difficulty in part to fear of coronavirus infection, but also said many restaurants were simply not able to offer workers enough hours to cover what they couldВ make through unemployment. With enhanced payments again on the horizon, Jordan worries that Ohio restaurants face an employment crisis in the coming months as the food service industry enters a busier season. The extra $600 added to weekly unemployment payments вЂњreally put us in a crunch for decent employees,вЂќ Jordan said. Restaurants like Hen Quarter either laid off or furloughed most of workersВ and tried to hire some of them back once they were given the green light to open again. Mike DeWine shuttered most nonessential businesses for two months in the spring and early summer to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The ownership team is also looking for other locations in Grandview and Clintonville.ДЇor more information, visit.

While the Polaris location opens this month, plans are in the works to bring the brand to other locations in the Columbus area.Д®step said a second location is planned in Gahanna, at Morse and Hamilton roads and slated for a spring opening. You can add a spread, such as hummus, spicy feta, tzatziki sauce, or baba, as well as house sauce, tahini, vinaigrette, roasted red pepper, green sвЂ™hug, or red harissa. Protein options include gyros, Greek chicken, chicken shawarma, falafel, and veggies. The menu features three options for bases: Pitas, salads, and bowls. One of the owners, Johnny Baransi, has produced a couple of other successful Mediterranean concepts in Columbus and wanted another chance to feature incredible flavors and recipes. Fast casual models have also taken off during the pandemic, Estep said, offering quick, fresh food thatвЂ™s accessible and affordable.

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