Slow sales were reported by many of the food outlets which reopened for business in Port of Spain on Monday.
Vendors who offer breakfast said they were hampered by the curfew hours.
At Susa’s Kitchen on Duke Street, owner Angelina said business had been slow, as she had had to open at 7 am, later than the normal opening time.
“How the curfew (ending) at 5 am, a lot of people who are working and travel, they’re coming to work later, so they would make a sandwich. And they don’t have money to spend on food either.
"We’ve only had five customers for the morning.
[caption id="attachment_902057" align="alignnone" width="1024"] It was a slow morning at Susa's Kitchen which opened it's doors on Monday as restaurants resumed business. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
"Thankfully we didn’t make too much food, we made four or five things, and two are already done, And we’re not cooking a lot for lunch. Maybe next week things will pick up.”
Doubles vendors Najim and Sons on Chacon Street were sold out by 9.30 am, but said they didn’t prepare as much food as they normally would.
“We came out at our normal time, 6 am, and our line stretched to Independence Square due to the distancing measures: we had people standing six feet apart. It was good. We’re trying to keep the three Ws (wear a mask, wash your hands, watch your distance).
"Normally we wrap up at 11 am for the latest, but we closed early today because we sold out.”
[caption id="attachment_902058" align="alignnone" width="683"] Nicolette Ashby, an employee at Subway, prepared a sandwich for a customer on Monday as restaurants resume business. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
At Subway on Independence Square, supervisor Nicolette Ashby said breakfast sales were slow, with a trickle of customers.
“We’re hoping that things will pick up. We’re going to be opening at 7 am to make sure our staff could come out after the curfew.”
Owner of D’Bocas Restaurant and Bar Laird Agard said they were preparing for people to come out for lunch.
“We’re taking it slow. But it’s a positive sign that we were able to reopen, as we have been closed for 15 months. We’re one of the unfortunate ones where the bar and restaurant really coincided with one another, so it’s just good that we’re back out to work and we can make an income. It’s been a really difficult time.”
[caption id="attachment_902059" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Nichelle Moseley, a cook at "D" Bocas Restaurant and Bar on Independence Square, prepares for their expected lunch hour customers on Monday. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
He said he hoped people would get vaccinated so that the bar could also reopen.
“The more people get vaccinated, the more things can reopen. Vaccination is the key. I hope the population of TT does their due diligence and gets vaccinated, because it’s a correlation.”
Food courts in malls on lower Frederick Street were open, but a common complaint was th
