With events and gatherings canceled en masse, and dine-in service prohibited at all Washington state restaurants starting early this week, local restaurants and bars are bracing for the worst.
The Inlander is compiling an online database of information about restaurants offering take-out service as communities across the U.S. shut down to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading. (This resource should be available by the time this story is published in print.)
Beyond placing orders from favorite food spots, diners can support local restaurants in other ways. Tip generously if you can, even though you're not getting the same service you would when dining in. The next several weeks will be incredibly stressful and scary for small business owners and their employees. A large number of service industry workers, many already living paycheck to paycheck, will not just lose hours — a significant percentage are likely to be laid off.
"This will have a huge impact on both" front and back of house staff, notes chef Adam Hegsted, who owns multiple restaurants in Spokane and North Idaho.
"Delivery and takeout is not enough business to sustain our staff. We are working to keep as many people employed as possible, but will most likely need to put most of our staff on standby. I expect a 90 percent drop [in business]."
Purchasing gift cards to redeem when all of this is over is another way to support struggling restaurants right now. If you can't stop by in person, many businesses are selling gift cards online or can take payment by phone to then mail you the physical certificate. Some are even offering discounts on these purchases.
To encourage support of small businesses during these trying times, Uber Eats is waiving delivery fees on all orders from independent restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. Restaurants included in the promotion are noted in the app.
The Inlander will be covering the pandemic's impacts on restaurants and hospitality workers in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, we've put together a brief list of what some local establishments are doing to ensure customers can still access their services during the shutdown.
Based on what we've seen so far, most restaurants in the area are offering take-out service in some form, meaning a quick search should pull up details for any not listed here.
- Pizza Rita is offering free delivery for customers age 60 and over through April 4.
- No-Li Brewhouse is giving away special decorative tins to the first 200 customers who stop by its brewpub on the same day with a receipt showing they've purchased a $25 gift card from a local business, restaurant or brewery. The brewpub is also offering its food menu to go.
- For all Spokane locations of Adam Hegsted's Eat Good Group restaurants — The Wandering Table, Yards Bruncheon, Incrediburger & Eggs, Gilded Unicorn, Eat Good Cafe — customers can order by phone or online for curbside pickup. In addition to its regular menus, the company is offering family-size meals. Links to menus can be accessed at eatgoodgroup.com/restaurants.
- Restaurants in the Goodwin Group — Backyard Public House, Remedy, Barnwood Social Kitchen & Tavern, Brick West Brewing — are offering free kids meals with all to-go orders, along with discounts on gift card purchases and growlers/crowlers to-go.
- Prohibition Gastropub is open from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm for take-out orders. The full, regular menu is available for pickup or delivery. Customers can order family-size meals for pick up one day in advance for $45 (feeds seven) or $75 (feeds 14). Call 474-9040.
- Central Food in Kendall Yards is serving a take-out breakfast and lunch menu, with daily options posted on the restaurant's Facebook and Instagram. Central Food's artisan bread program is also ramping up daily production. Call 315-8036.
- Downtown fine dining spot Gander & Ryegrass launched a pickup menu, including family-size meals, cheese platters and sandwiches and a "quarantine kit" with frozen, fresh meals, wine and more. The restaurant is also offering free deliveries to customers within Spokane city limits. Call 315-4613 to order starting at 10 am each day. Details on Facebook.
- Cochinito Taqueria is open Monday through Saturday for pickup and delivery orders and is offering free kids' meals for each full adult meal purchased ($10.95) from its regular menu, accessible on its Facebook. Call 474-9618.
- Garland Sandwich Shoppe is offering curbside order pickup and is including free grilled cheese or PB&J sandwiches for kids with each sandwich or meal order.
- Italia Trattoria has a pickup menu, along with to-go wine pairings. Call 459-6000.
- Hello Sugar's two locations (Kendall Yards, Spokane Valley) remain open for take-out coffee and donut orders; the Valley store's drive-through is open daily from 7 am-7 pm.
- Toro Sushi offers free delivery for orders of $30+ to addresses within 7 miles of the Spokane Valley restaurant; orders under $30 deliver for $5.
- Both locations (Browne's Addition, Spokane Valley) of Ladder Coffee & Toast remain open for carry-out orders only of food and drink. The Spokane Valley location has a drive-through.
- The Airway Heights location of Longhorn Barbecue is offering free delivery for orders of $20 or above. Call 838-8327.
- In Cheney, NorthStar Taps is offering its current craft beer tap list in growlers to-go. Call for preorders: 498-4052.
- Cascadia Public House at Five Mile is offering its menu to go from 12-8 pm, or for delivery by Uber Eats and Postmates. For call-in/pickup orders over $30, the restaurant is including $5 gift cards.♦
Have delivery/take-out order details to share? Send us the details to food@inlander.com and we'll add it to our database.
