MANGALURU: Although the government has permitted restaurants to open in its recent unlock order, some of the city's restaurants and eateries will open fully only in August due to severe staff crunch. The restaurant owners who spoke to TOI said most of their staff are from other states and they are unable to return due to travel restrictions and non-availability of transport.
Faraz BS, owner of South Indian Sea Food Restaurant in Attavar, who also runs two other food joints in the city, says he has kept his other businesses shut due to severe labour shortage. "I have only cooks working at the moment. After the first lockdown, I had to send air tickets to three workers from Assam in order to bring them back here. They are requesting the same this year too, but it is not possible for us. There is also a lack of delivery executives and they have joined online food delivery aggregators. Owners ourselves have doubled up as delivery boys," explains Faraz.
The other issue that hotel owners face is regarding remuneration to workers. "Earlier, a table cleaner was paid Rs 450 a day. Now due to poor business, we have reduced it to Rs 250. As a result of this, some of the workers have left hotel industry," he said.
Echoing views of Faraz, Abdulla Musba of Ootada Mane said they cannot afford to give old pay-scale. "There is no business even though restaurants are open. So we have to reduce pay and keep the show running. A large chunk of business comes from college students and tourists," says Musba.
"A lot of restaurant managements are now looking for local staff," said a person who is associated with the hotel industry. "It is true. I have 50% locals and the rest from north India. We are not opening fully as there are rumours of stricter rules from next week," expressed Vadi Shenoy of Tandoor Bar and Restaurant.
