Chicken Gyro Delicious

My Chinatown Restaurant Was on the Brink of Collapse. Then the Community Stepped In. | Bon Appétit

"Opened in 2012 after the owners were trained by the operators of a Flushing Korean fried chicken shop and sold their secret sauce, this fast-food stall in Queens Center built its reputation by handing out samples until regulars lined up. It became known for a beloved fried chicken sandwich and a versatile fried chicken breast that customers use in wraps and salads, driving daily sales of roughly $2,500 before the pandemic. The mall location made it busy but also vulnerable: the shop closed from March to September 2020 when the mall shut, endured steep rent ($23,000/month) and accumulated about $100,000 in back rent (later partly waived), and had to operate with the food court seating closed after reopening. Relief came from PPP and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and a fundraising and gift-card/gift-a-meal campaign run with Send Chinatown Love—helped by the owner’s daughter—brought immediate funds, meal donations, and younger customers who frequently tipped generously, underscoring the role of community support and second-generation social-media savviness in keeping small Chinatown businesses afloat." - ByRuth Li, translated by Er Li Peng and interviewed by Elyse Inamine