Wisconsin restaurants use Thanksgiving to make up for losses during pandemic

Wisconsin restaurants see a boost while offering Thanksgiving dinner

TRADITIONALTHANKSGIVING FAMILYGATHERINGS INNORTHEASTWISCONSIN..THOUSANDS OFFAMILIES IN THE AREAHAVE BEEN IN NEEDOF A TURKEY FOR THEHOLIDAY.LOCAL RESTAURANTSARE TAKINGADVANTAGE OF THEMUCH-NEEDEDOPPORTUNITY.IT'S NO SECRET THATTHE COVID-19PANDEMIC HAS HITRESTAURANTS HARD.IT HAS BEEN A LITTLEA BIT OF A STRUGGLEJUST KEEPINGPEOPLE EMPLOYED.SOMEBODY WILL ENDUP HAVING COVID ANDTHEN WE WILL HAVETO CANCEL THEIREVENT OR MOVE IT TOA DIFFERENT DAY.BUT THISTHANKSGIVING,LOCAL RESTAURANTSAND CATERERS AREUSING THE HOLIDAYAS A WAY TO MAKE UPFOR PASTSTRUGGLES.

THAT'STHE CASE FOR CHEFALEX SHEA.WE KNEW THAT WEHAD ENOUGH PEOPLETO DO IT, AND WE'RELIKE 'SURE LET'S DOIT.'

SO WE'RE DOING APREORDER FOR IT,BOOKED IN JUST SHYOF 400 TURKEYDINNERS FOR TWO;SO ABOUT 800PEOPLE THERE.SHEA'S RESTAURANT,MARK'S EAST SIDE INAPPLETON, HASN'TPROVIDEDTHANKSGIVING MEALSIN 20 YEARS.TO DO THIS AMOUNTOF WORK WITH THEVOLUME THAT MARK'SEAST USUALLY DOESGENERATE WOULD BEQUITE A FEAT.BUT NOW THAT THERESTAURANT ISHANDING OUT TO-GOTHANKSGIVINGMEALS, BUSINESS ISBOOMING.IT'S UP AT RENARD'SCATERING TOO.IT'S BEEN A LOTBUSIER, THAT'S FORSURE.

THE LASTTHREE DAYS HAVEBEEN ALOT BUSIERTHAN THEY HAVEBEEN FOR THE LASTSIX MONTHS, EIGHTMONTHS.WITHOUT LARGETHANKSGIVINGGATHERINGS DURINGCOVID, SMALLERGROUPS OF PEOPLEARE LOOKING TOPLACES LIKE MARK'SEAST FOR DINNER.

SOFOR SOME LOCALBUSINESSES, THISWEEK HAS BEEN AGLIMPSE OF WHAT ITWAS LIKE BEFORETHE PANDEMIC.IT'S ALOT OF WORKTO JUST DO FOR TWOPEOPLE, WHETHERYOU'RE MAKING ASMALL TURKEY OR ABIG TURKEY, THECRANBERRIES -EVERYTHING THAT'SIN THERE.

FOR TWOPEOPLE OR 15PEOPLE, IT'S ABOUTTHE SAME AMOUNT OFWORK.