Fiesta Cancun in South Bend, Indiana reopened May 11.
By Kathleen Furore
Indiana restaurants came to a standstill when Governor Eric Holcomb announced a “Stay-at-Home” order on March 23. Cancun Mexican Restaurant in South Bend was one of thousands of foodservice establishments that shut down that day… and it was one of the first to reopen on May 11, the date restaurants in St. Joseph County were allowed to open their doors for in-house dining at 50 percent capacity. el Restaurante editor Kathleen Furore asked owner Felix Ramirez how he adjusted his business during the shut-down and how he plans to move forward in the challenging months ahead.
One of the hardest parts of closing shop was having to let so many employees go.
“Unfortunately, we only stayed with one cook and two servers the first weeks, then only the cook and one server to help me with the take-out orders and delivery,” Ramirez says.
Carryout wasn’t a problem; implementing a workable delivery system, however, added to the challenging tasks Ramirez had to undertake.
“We kept offering carryout and promoted it on all our social media accounts,” he reports.
Delivery “was completely new,” he says. “It was a suggestion from our business and marketing consultant. Our customers liked the idea and it was a solution for us at the moment.” It also enabled him to throw more work his employees’ way because he didn’t rely on third-party services. “The food was delivered by our servers and the tips were entirely for them,” he says.
Ramirez also acted as a quick-change artist where payments were concerned.
“We rapidly set up a Square account to take payments online to avoid contact with cash or debit/credit cards,” he says.
The Customer Response
Sales, of course, weren’t close to what they were before March 23. But customers were loyal enough to keep the business going.
“The sales went down, but we got great support from the community, our customers, and friends. They were sharing our information on social media and helping with tips,” Ramirez says. “We are so grateful for that. We didn’t want to close completely because our community needed us, and we saw that for Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and other special days. People got tired of cooking at home following YouTube videos (‘just kidding,’ he jokes!).” Special promotions helped. “We offered 15 percent off on all the take-out orders. We also created a Family Combo meal so families would enjoy our delicious tacos,” he says. “We got an amazing response on both.”
Ready to Reopen
Once May 11 arrived, the doors swung open for in-house dining.
“Once the Indiana governor gave the guidelines [on May 5] for the second phase, we started getting prepared,” says Ramirez, who turned to a few other local restaurants and his business mentors for advice. “We bought face masks, more disinfectant and hand sanitizer, we put an acrylic ‘wall’ at the register to protect customers. We also made marks on the floor so our customers could keep social distancing according to the guidelines.” He also made sure tables were set six feet apart and let anyone checking
Cancun’s social media accounts know what the restaurant was doing.
“We posted all these measures on our Facebook page and we asked our customers to please wear a face mask when they are entering the restaurant,” he says.
He brought back two employees to staff the kitchen, along with two servers plus someone charged with disinfecting all the areas once customers leave the restaurant. Carryout remains an option for Cancun fans, but Ramirez has stopped delivery—at least for now.
What’s Next?
As ready as he was for the May 11 opening, customers haven’t come rushing back. The first week was slow.
“We had a few customers,” Ramirez says. “We understand, and we respect everybody’s decision. But we also got a great response on our social media when we announced we were back.”
In spite of the uncertainty, Ramirez remains upbeat about Cancun’s future.
“Obviously, we won’t have our restaurant full of customers on Taco Tuesday and [be able to] shake their hands and see them laugh or talk to them like before—but our priority is their safety and we are doing our best to keep it that way,” he says. “We have hope and we feel positive about this situation. It is sad to see how other restaurants are closing forever and some other people have just started their businesses this year. But we want to stay positive about it. And, again, we are so grateful for our customers.”
His advice to others in the industry wondering how to navigate these uncertain waters?
“Just follow the rules—they should apply to the staff and the customers. And stay positive and informed about this situation,” says Ramirez, who sums up his situation—one that every restaurant is in—this way:
“This is our new normal,” he concludes, “and we are adjusting to this new reality.”