COVID Catastrophe: Restaurant Atmosphere Amidst A Pandemic

Abigael Reilly, Student Writer

The warm air of The Perk, a restaurant home to Perkasie since 1854, now turns cold with COVID-19 cases rising. The bright white teeth of the smiling employees now remain covered by light blue paper masks worn by many. The warm atmosphere now dissipates with that of the outside temperatures as the atmosphere changes.

Before the pandemic, the Perk was a lively place, filled to the brim with people of all races and ages. The smell of their best burgers in the county lingered through the air as all genres of music found their way to the ears of many. No bar stool was left unseated for long and employees sped to meet the needs of every customer. People crowded any day, even to wait an hour and a half to experience this welcoming and energetic environment. However, all good things must come to an end, and so they did as COVID-19 cases rose throughout the U.S.

Governor Wolf had closed all restaurants in Pennsylvania, which turned the lively atmosphere into a bare restaurant in a matter of hours. The smiling faces of its employees became saddened with tears in their eyes as many had shifts cut and were not able to support their families the way they used to. Fear of sickness also left many stuck at home as cases rose. There was nothing The Perk could do to stop the closure, so its employees helped keep the welcoming atmosphere.

While the restaurant lost its warmth through the body heat and extended hours of its previous operations, not much has changed with the attitudes of its people. Employee Sophia Goodson commented, she “misses seeing everyone and can’t wait for everything to be back to normal.”

Conversely, busser, Rhyleigh Palmer stated, “she really wishes she could work and misses her coworkers.” 

Even though a lot has changed, the overall reaction seems to be positive as employees continue to work hard to support the business that supports them. Even though they can’t change the situation, they are staying positive and hoping to help the community as it helps them in return.