Ann Arbor Restaurants Face Rising Food Costs and Labor Concerns During Reopening | Eater Detroit

"A long-time Ann Arbor Italian that stayed open for carryout throughout the shutdown, Paesano provided meals for health care workers (many of them former employees) and, according to owner Mike Roddy, sold close to 2,000 dinners between Easter and Mother’s Day; the restaurant expects to use about 25 of its 56 indoor tables and to expand its outdoor patio dining when it reopens. Chef Caleb Jones believes people will be excited for fresh air and sunshine—“People have been locked up and are looking for fresh summer flavors with bright and vibrant colored food”—and Roddy is hoping outdoor expansion, curbside pickup, and the return of catering will help the business recover, albeit at a fraction of normal volume. He is concerned about labor because many waitstaff are local college students who remain away, and about customer compliance with safety guidelines; customers will be expected to wait outside or in their cars for their tables." - John Reyes