1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Worst Year Ever, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: We Get Everything, so don't don't hello, and welcome back 3 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: to the Worst Year Ever. My name is Katie, still 4 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: mine isn't. It's Cody Johnston and I'm Robert Evans. Uh 5 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: and I am not going to be on this episode 6 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: except for right now. UM, I got some really bad 7 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 1: news recently. UM my mom has pancreatic cancer. And uh, 8 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be in the process of getting things arranged 9 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: that I can drive down to. UM. I don't know. 10 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: You do whatever you do, you know, uh, just like 11 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: kind of be around, spend time with your family. Yeah, 12 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: so I will. I will be taking off entirely, but 13 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: I will probably periodically be missing EPISO zodes, including this one, um, 14 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: over the next you know, a few months, so you know, 15 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: not as a heads up. I uh, for one thing, 16 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: just kind of wanted to work because it's what I 17 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: do and it's better than you know, thinking about horrible things. UM. 18 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: But I will be missing some ship here and there. 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: So that's that's that's the update I wanted to give. 20 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: And uh, I will turn the rest of the episode 21 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: over to you all, and what I'm sure will be 22 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: a rad interview. We love you, Robert, take care of yourself. Yeah, yeah, thanks. 23 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: So today we are delighted to be joined by Brittany Villas. 24 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: Brittany is the owner of Gerrilla Tacos here in Los 25 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: Angeles and is an organizer within the Los Angeles restaurant community. 26 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: First off, hello, Brittany, how are you Hi? Thank you, 27 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: I'm well. Thanks for having me and just chat with 28 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: you guys. Yeah, We're really grateful to take up some 29 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: of your time. I know you're really busy. Um. Obviously, 30 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: the restaurant industry has been greatly affected by the pandemic. 31 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: That is a gross understatement, um from many restaurants. Survival 32 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: during this climate has meant a lot of quick, quick 33 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: thinking pivoting without much leadership or direction from local governments. So, UM, 34 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: I think that I would like to start by just 35 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: having you walk us through your experience of running owning 36 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 1: a restaurant during this time and and what that has 37 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: meant for you. Yeah. So, Guerrilla Tacos opened as a 38 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: brick and mortar in two thousand and eighteen. Uh so 39 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 1: we were a food truck for six years prior to that. 40 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: And so if you run a restaurant and if you 41 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: open something new, it typically takes about a year to 42 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: eighteen months to release start to like, got it. We 43 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: got all the equipment in place, we got all the people, 44 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,359 Speaker 1: you know, and now the wheels are turning, we're making money. 45 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: So we opened July UM and so about eighteen months 46 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: later the pandemic hit UM. And so when did you 47 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: start with the food truck? The food trucks started in 48 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: UM two thousand thirteen. Prior to that we were a 49 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: food cart. UM. So we've we've taken baby steps to evolve. 50 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: So it's twelve was the food cart. Then we got 51 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: the food truck in thirteen, and then from twenty to 52 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: eighteen we were just a food truck, and then we 53 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: became the restaurant in twenty eighteen. Wow, it really is UM. 54 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: But this timing of the timing of the pandemic is 55 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: of course very important. Yes, I know, I'm I'm all 56 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: at all. Starting when I was born in teen, so 57 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: UM in two thou early on, I was like the 58 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: end of twenty to early I personally was finally like 59 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: living my best life where I wasn't constantly stressed out 60 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: that the restaurant was bleeding. And I took a vacation 61 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 1: for a few weeks to like really like reset, and 62 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: I had a team in place that I was obsessed 63 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: with that that I really felt comfortable leaving UM. At 64 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: the same time, my partner Dan was in political campaign, 65 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: so on his campaign ended on the third, and so 66 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: on the fifth, we went to Hawaii March five and 67 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: we came back March. Yeah. We were like, yeah, we 68 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: came back March fourteen. Really that vacant, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 69 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: And we came back March fourteenth, and there was a 70 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: guy in front of us, like a guy and a woman, 71 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: and they were being very protected, like they had masks 72 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: on and goggles and like sanitizing everything. And me and 73 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,679 Speaker 1: Dan were like laughing at them because oh my god, 74 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:02,679 Speaker 1: little did we know, um what was ahead of us. So, 75 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: uh we we already started to feel a slowdown. It 76 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: was like a gradual slowdown in like sales, like about 77 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: twenty and so as soon as I landed back in 78 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: l a UM, mind you, we had just started to 79 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,719 Speaker 1: get to a point where we were like a viable business. 80 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: And I was, you know, I think I was very 81 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: grateful because you can only tell your investors like it's 82 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 1: gonna turn around. For so long, especially in restaurants, when 83 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: there's certain trends that you kind of have to follow along. UM. Anyway, 84 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: so I thought, you know, the slowdown was related to 85 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: the virus. Of course, we we came up with the 86 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: plan to incorporate new safety measures, you know, not using 87 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: reusable things changing to disposable UM. And then the sixteen 88 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: UM was the shutdown and the night you know, we 89 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: knew that. I don't know if you guys also had 90 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: the same experience, but I think everyone kind of knew 91 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 1: it was coming UM by then. So I was, I was, 92 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: you know, just in bed, like crying because I had 93 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: no clue. I mean, this is not something I've been through. 94 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if you guys have been through gold 95 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: global pandemic before, right, So I was, I was like, 96 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: I had no clue what was going to happen. I 97 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: had seven d employees at the time, UM, so I 98 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: was just seven zero seven zero. I mean really it's 99 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: a big It was we were growing, yeah, and and 100 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: it was so you know, our catering business was booming, 101 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: like we were really growing UM. And it gives me 102 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: the chills to think about it. But like I remember 103 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: sitting in bed like very much aware that I was 104 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: going to have to call in every employee or at 105 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: least you know of them, and tell them that they 106 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 1: didn't have a job anymore. In theory, right, I didn't 107 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: know how long they were saying three weeks at the time, Um, 108 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: but I yeah, And you know it's so funny, is 109 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: I would tell you my manager team then I was like, guys, 110 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: I definitely know it's talk gonna be three weeks. I'm 111 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: gonna say three months. I was like, no, it's just 112 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: gonna be three months. Here we are like eleven months 113 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: later and you know, no end in sight. So um, 114 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: but you know, it was it was really difficult to 115 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: like that was the worst part at the very beginning, 116 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: when like there was so much uncertainty, and then when 117 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: you're in charge, people are looking to you, even if 118 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: you know nothing looked to you for like, so when 119 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: are we coming back? You know? And weeks after that, 120 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: for initial for a low period we were getting text 121 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: especially for like we have a big Latino American community. Um, 122 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: them are like English as a second language or don't 123 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: speak English at all, so it was very confusing to 124 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: them why they weren't coming to work. So some of 125 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: them would text me like, you know, every week, like 126 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: I'm coming back on Monday, you know, clearly unaware of 127 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: what was going on. And that was really really difficult. Um. 128 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: On top of that, you know, we're in the arts district. 129 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: We have almost six thousand square feet of space or 130 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: rent is about twenty dollars a little more. Um. And 131 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: I was like, how am I gonna fathe this? Because 132 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: you know, and so I had met with our landlord 133 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 1: um and initially he was like, Oh, this is a 134 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: blip in the water. It's gonna be nothing. He I said, Look, 135 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: I can share my books with you. We can be 136 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: very transparent, um, you know. And he was like, I 137 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: run a business. I know, I know books. You know. 138 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: Do you even accept credit card? It was like, we definitely. 139 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: I think he was insinuating that we're like cash only, 140 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: so we were gonna be sneaky about it. Um. And 141 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: he's I know, he's he's definitely come around though. But 142 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 1: I recently saw an email from him from April saying like, oh, 143 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: I think we're gonna open soon, and like, you know, 144 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: we didn't. So but he's definitely come around and has 145 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: been become very upset accepting that this is a little 146 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: more dire than that. Um. Yeah. So initially everyone was 147 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: hoarding like heavy. Um, you know, dan to me, My 148 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: partner talked to me maybe in January, like hey, maybe 149 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: we should start getting supplies together, and I was like, no, 150 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,719 Speaker 1: you're just trying to stress me out. But everyone had 151 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: already got on that tip. So by March, you know, 152 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: we were late, but we I on a restaurant that 153 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: had many bathrooms, so we had a ton of toilet paper, 154 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: we had a ton of products in the fridge. Um. 155 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: And so we were like we showed up the day 156 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: that the closure started March sixte at eight am, and 157 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: we were like, uh, what are we gonna do? So 158 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: everyone was hoarding, so we came up with these emergency 159 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: taco kids um. And it was basically ten pounds of meat, 160 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: rice and beans, just like you know, if you want 161 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: to have food for a couple of weeks and not 162 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: have to do much but like heat ups and being 163 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: and some rice and beans. Um. And so we were like, 164 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 1: if we can sell ten kids a day, because there 165 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: were one fifty each, then we're gonna be okay, like 166 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: just ten kids a day. Um. And we added toilet 167 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: paper because we had a ton, and I thought that 168 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: that was really funny. So we added four rolls of 169 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: toilet paper and um, a flat of eggs because my 170 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 1: mom was at like Costco waiting in line for hours 171 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: for eggs, and I was like, we have so many 172 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: eggs that are gonna go bad. So we also added eggs. 173 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: So it had a couple of things in it. Not 174 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,199 Speaker 1: just like me, but it was it was enough to 175 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,839 Speaker 1: like it was also the eggs, toilet paper, tortillas, like 176 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: enough to get you comfortable. I know Britney's partner Dan, 177 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: and I saw him posting about that, and I remember 178 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 1: thinking that was so brilliant and and one of the 179 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 1: things that I think that will be revealed as we 180 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,079 Speaker 1: talked to you today is just how quick you've been 181 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: at pivoting and adapting. Uh. And that was the first 182 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: thing that I was like, that's really impressive. Anyway, sorry 183 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: interrupted Now I'm like, it's a very long story. It's 184 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: to let even months of my my trials and tribulation, 185 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: so I appreciate the intercation. Um. Yeah, so we we 186 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: did this. I genuinely I was we were like ten 187 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: kids today and when the first kid came and we 188 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: were like oh yeah, Like everyone was celebrating and Dan 189 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 1: was working because he had just ended up campaign and 190 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: we were super poor all of a sudden, um, and 191 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 1: my chef was like it. We were just like yeah, 192 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: one kid, we sold one, and then the second one 193 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: came in, and then third and by the end of 194 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: the kit process, because you guys all know, the hoarding 195 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: process did not last. Like people got over that very quickly. 196 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 1: But during that hoarding month or six tw weeks, we 197 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 1: were selling hundred kids a day. It was like incredible, Like, well, 198 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: that's so much easier than trying to battle at the market, 199 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 1: you know, right, yeah exactly. So, I mean we had 200 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: to do a cut off because we couldn't keep up 201 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: with demand. We were able to bring most of our 202 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: kits and employees back, like um, we were able to 203 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: for those that we couldn't bring back, we were able 204 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: to buy them like grocery boxes and like help them 205 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: out financially because of it. We were able to maintain 206 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: our health insurance like so many things because of these 207 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: kits that we were able to like you know, be 208 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: okay for like six weeks. Um. As the pandemic grew on, 209 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 1: the hoarding mentality kind of tapered off. I think people 210 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 1: felt like, okay, I think we're gonna be able to 211 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: wipe our butts. You know, we're okay um, And so 212 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: people wanted to do different things. So we love the 213 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:23,719 Speaker 1: kit idea, and it was a really easy way to 214 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: keep our staff safe because we cooked it isolated in 215 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: an isolated space and then we like sent it out. 216 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: So we did um like meal kits that we thought 217 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: were really fun. So we did like a Roots Chris 218 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: kind of steakhouse kit. Um. We did like a Korean 219 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: barbecue kit where we put like Korean beauty products in 220 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: it so you can have like a whole night of 221 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: it um. You know. Yeah, So we did various kids 222 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: and then that got us to the next phase. And 223 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 1: then when out when indoor dining open um, we got 224 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: the okay on mat um with a laundry list of restrictions. 225 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: And if you ever have worked in a restaurant or 226 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: the nearer restaurant, um, there's nothing that you can do, 227 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 1: especially in the middle of a pandemic in like two days. 228 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: So some people, I don't know if you guys listened, 229 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 1: but the health department effectively said, if you can, it's 230 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: on our system. If you can honor these fifteen rules, 231 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: you can open, and you can open tonight. Yeah. My 232 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: question is what was that community? Like obviously it sounds terrible, 233 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: but like what was that communication, Like, like, so they 234 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 1: gave you two days notice. Was it just like a 235 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: generic email with a checklist, Like, like, what was that problem? 236 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: It was? There was no So I had been getting 237 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: text because I'm very involved in advocacy and I have 238 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: like a strong restaurant community of friends. So I've been 239 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: getting texts like I hear we're opening on Friday. Did 240 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: you hear that? And I was texted back like and 241 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: I feel like I always know things, like I had 242 00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: like a fifth sense, but I feel like I, um 243 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: like I was like, no, don't worry, guys, there's no 244 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: way they're gonna open us, Like they're at least gonna 245 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: give us a runway to prepare, Like, don't worry, there's 246 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 1: no way. There's no way. And then, um, there is 247 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 1: no unless you're like subscribe to things. There really is 248 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: no active communication where they're like, hey, I know you 249 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: hold the health department permit. These are the rules. There's 250 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: none of that. Um, so it's just a matter of 251 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 1: like Facebook groups and following Eric Garcetti's Twitter and UM, 252 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: you feel like this is ridiculous, there's not yeah. Um, 253 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: And so I knew that there was a um let's say, uh, 254 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: what do you what is it call a press conference? 255 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: And so I said, um, so we were watching it 256 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: because we would always like sit around the computer and 257 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: watch them, and so that's how we found out. Like, 258 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: and then somebody asked. One of the reporters was like, so, 259 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: wind can restaurants open? And I think it was Barbara Frere. 260 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 1: She was like, if they can comply with all the rules, 261 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: they can open tonight. And UM, there's like a ton 262 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: of rules. It's so frustrating. And so some of my 263 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: friends were texting me like the place next door already opened, 264 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: like literally the second that she said, OK you can. Yeah. 265 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: It's just so frustrating and impossible. The lack of clear 266 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: communication from leadership about what is necessary, the last minute 267 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: nature of it. Um. I mentioned this to to you 268 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: last week when we chatted. But the friends. I have 269 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: a couple of friends who want a workout studio, a 270 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: bar method and they you know, again the similar situation, 271 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: this last minute, Okay, you guys can reopen. They weren't 272 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: comfortable or prepared to make that next step. However, other 273 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: businesses around them just did whatever. They just took that 274 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: as a sign to reopened without necessarily meeting all of 275 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: this checklist, and then they took the time to put 276 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 1: all this the precautions in place. They reopened two days 277 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 1: later everything got shut down and it was just a 278 00:15:56,040 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: colossal waste of time and money for them anyway. Yeah, yeah, 279 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: and that's UM. I mean they set up they set 280 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: up a system where you are rewarded for not following 281 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: the rules, because there was it was on a system base. 282 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: There was really no system for enforcement or regulation UM. 283 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: And so for us, I was like, there's no way 284 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: we can open. We have most of our staff is 285 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: at home, who knows what they're doing. We have them 286 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: all tested, we have to do safety training with them, 287 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: we have to install plexiglass, we have installed like the 288 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: sanitizing procedures. Like, there's no way we can open. So 289 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: I decided that we would open in a month, which 290 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 1: was July one, UM and so on. On June fifteen, 291 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: we started a huge staff training that was outdoors, and 292 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: we had our huge staff that we had to pay 293 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: to be there, go through a training which we paid 294 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: for UM, and we had Meanwhile, there's construction going on 295 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: installing PLEXI making sure we paid an architect to make 296 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: sure that we can like stay searching amount of Like 297 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: we it was really important to me that like no 298 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: one got COVID. Of course because I care about my 299 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: own safety and the safety of the staff, but like 300 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: because it's getting COVID is not like the cool thing 301 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: to do, right, So like we had to keep COVID 302 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: out of the shrunt um, you know, like at the 303 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,959 Speaker 1: very bare minimum. It was just a matter of like 304 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: keeping business viable because you're like, oh, girl, tacos COVID girl. Now, 305 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: like nobody was gonna want to go there. So it's 306 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 1: really important that we took the time that we took 307 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: the time to UM like open safely. So we opened 308 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: indoor dining on July one, and I came in early 309 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,880 Speaker 1: that morning and like six am, I got a text 310 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: from my friend Um, who was the executive director of 311 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:45,360 Speaker 1: the Independent Hospitality Coalition. He texted me saying, Um, I'm 312 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: hearing from a really good source that Gavin Neulson is 313 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: gonna shut down the stating my god, and I was 314 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: like no, Um, and so I pull over my managers 315 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: and I and I told them like, hey, um, I 316 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: know we're opening today, so don't tell the staff anything. 317 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: Because the staff was like jazz. They were like high fiving, 318 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: like you know covid high fiving, but they were jazzed 319 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 1: to be back. It was like the first day back 320 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: at school. Um. And then at noon that day we 321 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: opened at eleven, we got the notice that that down 322 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: we were for an hour. Well we were open for 323 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: five because he did allow us to stay open until 324 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: the end of the day. So we did it. We 325 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: saw an hour before you got the news, but yeah, exactly, 326 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: but we already yeah. I mean, it was insane. So 327 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: we decided to do outdoor dining, which was wonderful, UM, 328 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 1: and it started to feel like things were normal. We 329 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:42,719 Speaker 1: turned our parking lot into an outdoor like FSA vibe 330 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: and people loved it. And um, we kept everybody as 331 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: safe as we could. We did not get a single 332 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 1: case of covid um during that time, which was wonderful. 333 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: And then um, as cases began to rise, we were 334 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: informed again all through me just like always looking and 335 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: being in commune cation was friends who were like aware. Um, 336 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: we were informed that if cases reached over four thousand 337 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: in a day, we would have to close outdoor dining again. Um. 338 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 1: And then there was all the drama with like she Kuel, 339 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: who was UM one of the county supervisors who voted 340 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 1: to close restaurants again, went out to a restaurant like 341 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: that same night that she voted that. So people were 342 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:27,719 Speaker 1: upset that hypocrisy. Um. Yeah. And so you know that 343 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: was in early December. So a couple of things come 344 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: to mind. One is what I kept remarking to myself 345 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: pulling my hair out alone in my house, just how 346 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 1: frustrating it is because you keep You've mentioned a couple 347 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:47,360 Speaker 1: of times the honor system right, and I would see, 348 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: you know, businesses such as yourself, you know, who went 349 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 1: the extra mile to create an outdoor space and and 350 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: enforce the rules and keep people safe. Um, you know, 351 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: the that meets all the guidelines. But then around the 352 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,199 Speaker 1: corner you'd have a restaurant that's crowding a bunch of 353 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 1: tables onto a sidewalk very close together, and there's no oversight, 354 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 1: there's no regulation. It would I felt like I was 355 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 1: I just couldn't believe that what I'm seeing. You know, 356 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: if we're we're so concerned and we want to protect businesses. Yes, 357 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 1: we want to we want to be able to be 358 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: open as much as possible because everyone's you know, concerned 359 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: about the economy as we should all all of these things, 360 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: but not doing the the oversight needed to keep people safe. 361 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:41,199 Speaker 1: And it it made me very frustrated. Um. You mentioned 362 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: the Independent Hospitality Coalition, UH, and I would love if 363 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: you talked a little bit more about that, explained to 364 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: our listeners what this organization is and what role you 365 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,719 Speaker 1: play with them there. Um, I'm gonna sneak in another 366 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,919 Speaker 1: organization there too, organisms that were born out of the pandemic. 367 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 1: One is the Independent Hospitality Coalition UM, which is you know, 368 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:10,120 Speaker 1: just restaurant, bar, hotel owners that kind of got together 369 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: in the name of advocating, UM for the needs of restaurants, 370 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: but UM mostly like for having a seat at the table, 371 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 1: UM and being able to say, like, hey, you're making 372 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 1: like decisions that affect our economy and like we would 373 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: like to talk about it because it's clearly know nothing 374 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: so smart UM, and it sounds like something that should 375 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: be in existence, even outside of a pandemic. Definitely, And 376 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 1: we had you know, it's so funny. It's like, UM, 377 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: myself and Dna Samson, who's the owner of Rossa Blue 378 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: and super fined. Her and I have been trying to 379 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: start something um like that because like Dani's in politics, 380 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: my partner and we I really wanted to be, like 381 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: I said, have a seat at the table where we 382 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: could advocate for the needs of restia owners and restaurant workers. UM. 383 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: And so we had kind of been working on that 384 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: and we were like so busy that we couldn't. So 385 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: once the pandemic hit, we all we all of a 386 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 1: sudden had a ton of re time, so we really 387 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: were able to MOI mobilize the h c UM and 388 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: then we also through the pandemic regarding her food was 389 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: born and regarding her it's kind of the same thing, 390 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: but more focused on empowering female hospitality entrepreneurship m through 391 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: like grant programs, through mentorship, so a little bit more 392 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 1: like not like fighting the man so much, but more 393 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: like supporting one and up. And yeah, I mean it's 394 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 1: been the community that's come out of it has been amazing. 395 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: So yeah, I've been seeing regarding her posts a lot. Uh, 396 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 1: you guys have done something very successful. It It broke 397 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: awareness for a lot of us in Los Angeles, and 398 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: I think it's so inspiring to talk about on the show. 399 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: On all of our shows, but particularly this one, we've 400 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 1: talked a lot about mutual aid and community organizing and 401 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,159 Speaker 1: how you know, without good leadership, uh, we have to 402 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: depend on our communities for survival. Just you know why 403 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to have you here to talk about 404 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 1: these these things because you've really shown up as a 405 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: leader and and helped create resources and for the opportunities 406 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: for the restaurant community here. Um. And I think that 407 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: that's I I think that's so important to highlight, especially 408 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,399 Speaker 1: for our listeners people in other cities and other places 409 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: around the country or on the world, because you if 410 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: you do not have something like this in your community, 411 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: you have the opportunity to create that, you know, to 412 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: step up and create whatever it is that you need 413 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: doesn't even have to your restaurants, your specific community everything. 414 00:23:54,920 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: Another thing I wanted to talk about delivery apps. Uh, 415 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: I I think it would be interesting and helpful to 416 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: hear your inside on delivery apps as a restaurant owner. Yeah, 417 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: delivery apps are unnecessary evil. I guess it's the phrase 418 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 1: that is the best describes them. UM. You know, the 419 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 1: reality is myself included certainly people. UM, we're feeling unsafe 420 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 1: to go out. UM. And you know we needed to 421 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: get food to people. We don't have the staff or 422 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: infrastructure to deliver, and these delivery apps are like, hey, um, 423 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: here gre um. But the problem is that it's um, 424 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: it's very expensive. You know, we don't make a lot 425 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: of profit on our food. We do about twenty I 426 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: shouldn't say is like the Chipotle McDonald's, they're doing net 427 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: profits at the end of the day, all their bills paid. 428 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: Their profiting a small restaurant is like maybe ten to five. 429 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: So it's very slim margins that we work on. Um. 430 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: And so when a delivery app takes a certain amount 431 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: off of the top, plus they charge a fee to 432 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: the customer, it's um. I mean, it puts us in 433 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 1: a position where it's like, well, what else, what else 434 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: are we gonna do? Plus you don't get tips for 435 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 1: your employees. It's so funny. I got a call the 436 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,480 Speaker 1: other day this Oh no, no, no, that's not happened. 437 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: What happened was on a ticket somebody sent in an 438 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: order and an automatically prints our kitchen and they customers 439 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: can leave notes, like you know, saw some on the 440 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: side whatever. This guy writes, please don't put um please 441 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:37,239 Speaker 1: tip on the bag it's time UM, And I was like, 442 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 1: what is he talking about. We would never write like 443 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: please tip on the bag. And so I called this 444 00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: customer and I'm like, hey, what's going on? And he 445 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: was like, the last time I ordered from you guys, 446 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: somebody you had wrote on the bag please tip. And 447 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: I was like, hey, that's not you know, even if 448 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,640 Speaker 1: you had tipped, it doesn't come to us, it goes 449 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: to your driver. So that's not something we would do. Like, 450 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: I'm so sorry that happened. I'm going to bring that 451 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: up with like the delivery platform because the you know, 452 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: the drivers have access to um the food and us 453 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: in the bag. Yeah, yeah, exactly. It was like yeah, 454 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,159 Speaker 1: but it was like this guy wrote like please tip 455 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: on the bag and it reflected poorly on us. But 456 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: even if like the driver like took some we don't 457 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: have French fries, but like took some French fries out 458 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: of like a burger place or like um dropped something. 459 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: It all nobody's thinking like, oh, I wish John, the 460 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: delivery driver, would have done better there immediately. I saw 461 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,640 Speaker 1: a meme recently that said, like McDonald's can mess up 462 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 1: your order a million times and you'll go back, But 463 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: an independent restaurant messes up once and you hate it. 464 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: You tell all your friends, you write a review on Yelp, 465 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: and you write them off forever, And it's really true. 466 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 1: And so then the delivery drivers and the apps as 467 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: like an additional layer of like something that's out of 468 00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 1: our control but hugely affects our business. For you, you 469 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 1: have to use a delivery app, especially right now, you know, yes, 470 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 1: and it's and it's also in a way can be 471 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: considered advertising, I guess, because you've got people just scrolling 472 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:16,120 Speaker 1: and maybe they get sparked by an idea. But um, 473 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: I it's just such a tough decision to have to 474 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: pill to swallow, I guess is a better way to 475 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 1: put it. Are their apps that are better than others 476 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: for the business? Great question? Yeah, so what's happening now? 477 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 1: There used to be like exclusivity deals that you could make, 478 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: and so you know, if if you agree to only 479 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: be on Uber Ease, they'll cut you like a little 480 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: deal and they'll take care of you. What's happening now though, 481 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: is um every app company is buying another so now Uber, Postmaths, 482 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: Caviar just got by door Dash so that the exclusivity 483 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: deals are not a thing anymore. The customer service isn't 484 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: great for any of the apps. I'm trying to think 485 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,200 Speaker 1: probably uber eats has the biggest infrastructure, so every everyone 486 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: is very attentive to me when we're first signing up 487 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,919 Speaker 1: with them, and then like the moment we're signed up 488 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: and the contract a sign and the money's coming in, 489 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: it's like crickets. Like I'll be like, hey, this huge 490 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: issue is happening, and it's like crickets like nothing. Uh no, 491 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: there's no support for I mean, we're on we're on 492 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 1: Caviar right now and Postmates. I don't know if I'm 493 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: allowed to like say the names, but on Caviar and 494 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: Postmates right now, we advertise there's another restaurant. Yeah, there 495 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 1: you go. There's another restaurant I run called Thiago. There 496 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 1: on all four of them. Um. Uber eats has like 497 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: the best customer service, you know, marginally, but it's it's very, 498 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: very very poor customer service. Did you say you own Thiago? Yeah, Yeah, 499 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: Thiago is one of the restaurants that, Um, I'm a 500 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: minority owner and an operator. Oh that's so I'm so 501 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: happy to hear that. What do you love? And I 502 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: love your I love your roasted sweep potake. No tacos 503 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: at your at your damboun spot. I mean you don't 504 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: get like I've seen sweet potato tactics, but like the 505 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: roast of it. I'm getting that very roses sweet potato 506 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: tacos and there's something there's something well, I'm trying to 507 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: remember what the other ingredient in there is. That's just 508 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: like it's a potato, there's yeah, what's what? There's something else? 509 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: And then I'm like, there's like something fried in there. 510 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 1: There's well, the the so it's sweet potatoes, it's on 511 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: almond sauce that we make. There's fried corn in it, 512 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: which is like corn is my favorite food. Yeah, I'm delicious, 513 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: So it's kind of it's more like a corn nut. 514 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:42,239 Speaker 1: I am like salivating thinking about this. Um, what's the 515 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: best way for UH for us to support restaurants during 516 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: this time? Then it wouldn't be ordering directly and showing 517 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 1: up for takeout? Yeah, definitely, Um, I would say ordering 518 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 1: directly UM just you know, calling the restaurant or placing 519 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: it online if they have like an online portal that's 520 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: not postmate, in store, dash caviar breaths, etcetera. UM ordering 521 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 1: directly is always super helpful buying merch buying gift cards 522 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: for like friends, if you know someone's birthdays coming up 523 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 1: for the future, UM posting, if you do go there 524 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: like posting and having like UM at the same time. 525 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: I'm I'm super aware that, like, you know, we thought 526 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: Dan had COVID for a second and we were on 527 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 1: lockdown and I didn't want to cook one day, so 528 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 1: we did. We had to order out because it wasn't 529 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: ethical to like leave UM, and so I understand, you know, 530 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 1: And I would just say, like, you know, when when 531 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 1: you order out to UM, order a lot, Yeah, yeah, 532 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: make it, make it a couple of meals worth, like 533 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: it's an order. I kind of tried to do that 534 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: when I pave and and yeah, cave. I've done way 535 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:53,520 Speaker 1: more postmating caviar ing than I ever have in my life. 536 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: But like you said, it's kind of a necessary evil 537 00:30:55,920 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: right now. But I'm also being very conscious whenever possible 538 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: to order directly from a place and go and pick 539 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: up Also a thing that I've noticed. I don't know 540 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: if this is an option for for your restaurant, but 541 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 1: there are a couple of restaurants on caviare that if 542 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: you scroll have a five dollar tip for your staff 543 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: that you can add to your menu. So like just 544 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 1: go down and I, you know, getting these bagels or whatever, 545 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: and you add the five dollar cortuity that goes directly 546 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 1: to the restaurant. Do you tip your driver, yeah, but 547 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: you just add five dollars to your bill that goes 548 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: towards gratuity. UM. I don't know if for restaurant owners 549 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: out there, if if that's something that you can figure 550 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: out how to add. I try to do it. Though. 551 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: There's there's several things that you've said that are like 552 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: not surprising but yet still shocking. And like the lack 553 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 1: of communication, Like you knew it was going to be 554 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: shipped because it's Los Angeles and our county government is 555 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: just trash. But like hearing that you're getting the same 556 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 1: information from a terrible Garth study press conference, which are, 557 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: by the way, some of the most painful things that 558 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: I've ever seen. UM, and not getting any kind and 559 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 1: like honorism is just such a failure on the city's part. Yeah, 560 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: and there's so many um like something I struggle with. 561 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: I try to really be understanding that like everyone's doing 562 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 1: their job and doing the best that they can and 563 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 1: like that, and you know all that stuff, but there is, 564 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: um there's this level of like it's really hard to 565 00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: describe what it feels like when you hear like the 566 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: gar cities of the world or even like the Nancy 567 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: Pelosi's or Lemons McConnell's talking about like the federal packages, 568 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: you know, talk just like saying like filler bs and 569 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: I'm just like, like I get that they're doing what 570 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,719 Speaker 1: they're doing because they want their political career to survive. 571 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 1: And you know, there's a there's a lot of contexts 572 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 1: and stuff, but like I feel like it's a time 573 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: to like put that bullshit aside because people are just 574 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 1: like like at the bare minimum, just trying to survive. 575 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 1: Not even like my career to survive, or like my 576 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: plans to survive, or you know, or to keep my 577 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: expensive life, but like literally people are trying to stay 578 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: in their homes, people are trying to pay their bills, 579 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 1: and like concerned that like there's mounting, mounting debt that 580 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: there's no help from, and like they're fucking worrying. Sorry, 581 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: I don't know if I'm allowed to curse. Yeah, they're 582 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: like worried about a fucking Amy Coney Barry. I almost like, look, 583 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:24,959 Speaker 1: I I'm like very in the knowe, but like at 584 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: this point, I'm just trying to make sure that like 585 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 1: I can have a job and I'm the owner, you know, 586 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: Like I don't even like this is just I don't 587 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: understand that. Like if I had my restaurant and a 588 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 1: pipe burst, I'm not gonna worry about like the fact 589 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:43,719 Speaker 1: that you know, somebody it wants more water before like 590 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 1: my pipe bursting, you know what I mean. Like when 591 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: you talk about Garcetti, it really bothers me, like the 592 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: fluff because I'm just like cut the bullshit, Like it's like, 593 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 1: how are you going to help me? Because like, honestly, 594 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: that's all I care about right now. Like call me selfish, 595 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 1: but like me and my staff and everyone in our orbit, 596 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,719 Speaker 1: like staffers have their job, the people on Eric gar 597 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: Citi's orbit, the people on Nancy Blot's orbit, they all 598 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 1: have their jobs. Like me. Makes me really sad. Because 599 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: like I people are scared and like losing their jobs 600 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 1: and losing things that they've built and like losing and 601 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 1: of predictabiarly losing their homes. And if you don't see 602 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 1: it happening, like I guess that's why you're not doing 603 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 1: anything about it. But like it fucking it sucks, Like 604 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: I'm they don't care. It's it's infuriating. I mean, it's 605 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 1: like they don't see the humanity of it all. And 606 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: it's like, what, I don't care about your I don't 607 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 1: care about your real disconnect between the politics and their image, 608 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:53,719 Speaker 1: their policy, and but it's it's true regardless, it's just 609 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: extra true and extra apparent during the pandemic. Yeah, because 610 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: it's it's like at this point, you're just a bad person. 611 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: Like you can't even be like, oh, I'm just playing 612 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:07,320 Speaker 1: the game, like because yeah, sure, when everyone's kind of okay, 613 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: even though there's still a lot of like chronic homelessness 614 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,799 Speaker 1: and all that stuff. Sure, but like now you're just 615 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: a bad person and you're putting yourself above like everything 616 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: that you have made an oath to do. And and 617 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: you know, I I really believe that when this is 618 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 1: all said and done, like they're gonna be a lot 619 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: of people who are on the wrong side of history, 620 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: you know, like this is and I see, um, I 621 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: don't know, Like I see it sucks that like some 622 00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 1: of my staff that's older has to decide between like 623 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 1: their health and their lives or and their livelihood and 624 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 1: being able to feed their kids. And um it's an 625 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:47,760 Speaker 1: impossible choice. Yeah, Like are you having people or businesses 626 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:53,759 Speaker 1: to support They need to adequately protect uh, your employees, 627 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: yourself during this time. You want the everything to shut down, well, 628 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,399 Speaker 1: you gotta pay for it to be shut down, right, 629 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: and you wanted to be open. You need to manage 630 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 1: and be clear about the guidelines. You need to help 631 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:09,319 Speaker 1: us invest in making the community safe. And we've just 632 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: had you know, it's like so fucked up. It's like 633 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,360 Speaker 1: we just had. Um so we pay like certain taxes, 634 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: but like we couldn't afford one of our taxes early 635 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:20,879 Speaker 1: on the pandemic and like the government takes the money 636 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: at like they like squeeps swoop on it, like they 637 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,640 Speaker 1: get in there. It's like no matter what, like the 638 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 1: guy like you know, everyone's getting their check and um, 639 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,319 Speaker 1: I don't know, I just don't now is not that 640 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:35,279 Speaker 1: nobody should be making money in the middle of a 641 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:39,440 Speaker 1: global pandemic. I myself, like, we want to take care 642 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:41,320 Speaker 1: of our bills and stuff like that, but nobody should 643 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: be like, oh, I'm like ten tho million dollars richer, 644 00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:45,920 Speaker 1: like in the middle of a pandemic. That's not a 645 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:48,239 Speaker 1: sense of pride. How can you be proud about that? 646 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: I don't get that. Sorry, y'all, let me go. So 647 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,000 Speaker 1: got the got the vaccine a few days ago after 648 00:36:57,120 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 1: promising that he wouldn't jump in line in front of 649 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 1: essential workers to get the vaccine, but he did it anyway. 650 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:06,799 Speaker 1: It's all. I had a question. Um, so, you were 651 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 1: going through your timeline and you kind of explained how 652 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:12,359 Speaker 1: you found out about like when you could reopen last year. 653 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:17,480 Speaker 1: What happened with this newsome uh newsome surprise reopening? What 654 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: was the communication I'm sure the most ship one for listeners. 655 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 1: We just last California. Yeah, California was despite the IU 656 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,720 Speaker 1: is being full and everything, We're just like surprised, let's reopen. 657 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 1: It's everything's fine. Yeah, um yeah? What was that communication? 658 00:37:34,520 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 1: Like so bad? Um? So, from my experience of it 659 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 1: was I I same thing. I got a message saying like, hey, 660 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:45,920 Speaker 1: I'm hearing from Newsome's office at UM there's a big 661 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:49,759 Speaker 1: movement for recall Gavin Newsom. Um that's going on, and 662 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 1: you know he's starting to fold under the pressure. So 663 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:55,919 Speaker 1: he's going to open the state and UM. So when 664 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 1: I found out that, I was like, look, I'm sure 665 00:37:57,480 --> 00:37:59,439 Speaker 1: there are other counties that are like doing much better 666 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 1: than a like because were so densely populated. The l 667 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,360 Speaker 1: A county is not gonna open. There's no way again 668 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 1: the same thing trusted again like a pool. Um. But 669 00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:11,279 Speaker 1: but um. And so we got the green light to 670 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:14,360 Speaker 1: open on the state level, and we were waiting for 671 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 1: the county level, which like again it was like Facebook 672 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 1: groups and knowing when Yeah, it's like Facebook is you know, 673 00:38:22,239 --> 00:38:24,319 Speaker 1: for better or worse? I guess it is another one 674 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 1: of those things. UM. But so I was we were 675 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: we got we saw another UH conference with UH Barbara Frere, 676 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 1: and she said that um, we can open with some 677 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,759 Speaker 1: modified rules on Friday, and that they would come out 678 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 1: with the modified rules to day before. UM. And this 679 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:48,360 Speaker 1: was Monday, and so the day before Yeah, yeah, it 680 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: was like, UM, it was like brilliant, but like on 681 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,480 Speaker 1: our system, your guys are going to be saying, yeah, well, 682 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: extra frustrating about it is I don't have the statistic 683 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,279 Speaker 1: in front of me, but especially here in Los Angeles, 684 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: restaurant workers, people that need to go into a kitchen 685 00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:11,239 Speaker 1: are some of the it's very high risk. It's not 686 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: to be taken lightly. This is a huge responsibility for 687 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 1: restaurants and a huge undertaking. And uh right, that's that's 688 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,799 Speaker 1: what gets it's frustrating. Yeah, but this is what's at 689 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 1: stake our people's lives, right yeah, And it's and it's like, yeah, 690 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:31,320 Speaker 1: it's more than that, you know, like, um, if somebody 691 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,799 Speaker 1: gets COVID and they're in like an improversed household that 692 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:37,040 Speaker 1: you know, it's kind of below the poverty line, they're 693 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:40,000 Speaker 1: likely gonna give it to their partner and their children. 694 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: And so now that's multiple people that are out of 695 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:45,239 Speaker 1: work for who knows how long, Like it's and and 696 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 1: making the decision to open it. So many people are like, well, 697 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:52,160 Speaker 1: just don't open and I'll tell you why that doesn't work. 698 00:39:53,239 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 1: One is that um, once Outer Dyning is open, our 699 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:59,239 Speaker 1: our takeout sales, we're already seeing because we're not we 700 00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:03,760 Speaker 1: haven't opened out yet. Will plummet and they already are. Um. 701 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 1: And the second thing is like I have already gone 702 00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:10,800 Speaker 1: an email from my landlord that says like, hey, uh, 703 00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: you know, we need to talk about the resumption of 704 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 1: rent payment now that opened the outdoor dining has resumed, 705 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:19,560 Speaker 1: like as soon as we're open, Like literally got this 706 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:21,759 Speaker 1: email January thirty one. We opened the twenty nine where 707 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:24,839 Speaker 1: we were allowed to open the twenty nine, So landlord, yeah, 708 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:27,600 Speaker 1: and like, look he's running a business. Everyone's got there 709 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:31,359 Speaker 1: fucking like ship to do. But that that is why 710 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:34,000 Speaker 1: that these decisions really need to be thought through, because 711 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 1: it's so much more than just like open, don't open. 712 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:40,040 Speaker 1: I'll make the choice. But it's like once the optics 713 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 1: change where you can open, everyone wants their money now 714 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: and things that are back to normal. Great, Like the 715 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:48,320 Speaker 1: government from the top down needs to set the tone 716 00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:50,799 Speaker 1: for the state of the situation. And when you say 717 00:40:50,840 --> 00:40:54,440 Speaker 1: like hey, everyone, everything open, but don't go out. But 718 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:57,799 Speaker 1: unless you work there, then go, but don't ye, it's 719 00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 1: like yeah, it's so I don't knowously in that that 720 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,480 Speaker 1: Instagram video of that guy, like but if you do work, 721 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:07,799 Speaker 1: go and if supports small business, so go, but stay home. 722 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:11,240 Speaker 1: Like that is yeah, and that's like so true because 723 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:15,240 Speaker 1: it's like, um yeah, it's like stay home but supports 724 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 1: small business by going out and doing outdoor doing. And 725 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:24,080 Speaker 1: the hypocrisy of keeping indoor mall's open but outdoor restaurants closed, 726 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: like there isn't a rival reason within the parameters obviously 727 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:30,960 Speaker 1: with them just like randomly opening and closing and then 728 00:41:31,560 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 1: like there's no science, there's no science being used there. 729 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: So that's frustrating as well. But I mean I can't 730 00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:43,120 Speaker 1: even like keeping indoormal all is open, yeah, and it's 731 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:46,040 Speaker 1: blood's boiling. The other thing was like a Thiago. One 732 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:48,160 Speaker 1: of the things once because we have this massive patio 733 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:50,239 Speaker 1: if you've been there, you know, um so one of 734 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 1: the things I was like, you know, talking to Dan 735 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:54,840 Speaker 1: about doing was that we would do like a yoga 736 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:58,800 Speaker 1: class outdoors, because you're allowed to do a yoga class, 737 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:01,520 Speaker 1: but you're not allowed to do outdoor dining. So it's 738 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:03,480 Speaker 1: like we just sell coffee and then we hold the 739 00:42:03,560 --> 00:42:06,319 Speaker 1: yoga class outside. So and he was like, is that allowed. 740 00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 1: I was like, that's totally allowed, Like you can host 741 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:12,440 Speaker 1: the yoga class in your patio, but you can't. And 742 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:14,479 Speaker 1: I get it's like maybe it's like the mask taking anything. 743 00:42:14,520 --> 00:42:16,480 Speaker 1: I don't know, but like that was like this is 744 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:19,799 Speaker 1: like the most brillly nice idea. But and the other 745 00:42:19,840 --> 00:42:22,400 Speaker 1: thing is like we are in ding for this new restaurant, 746 00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:26,200 Speaker 1: and so what I'm seeing what I what I see 747 00:42:26,200 --> 00:42:27,920 Speaker 1: a lot is like we're kind of in a bubble 748 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,960 Speaker 1: me and my one chef um and because if he's 749 00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:33,000 Speaker 1: like single guys, so it's just really him us and Dan, 750 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,920 Speaker 1: and you know, we're we're like, there's nowhere to eat. 751 00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 1: Let's eat in the car. We were like in close proximity. 752 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:41,319 Speaker 1: So it's fun, but like how many other people are like, 753 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:43,600 Speaker 1: oh we can't eat outdoors, let's go in the car, 754 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:46,120 Speaker 1: let's get at my house. So eating, you know, like 755 00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:49,160 Speaker 1: if if you take away the options right and like 756 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:53,840 Speaker 1: and we were sanitizing like crazy. We were like contact tracing. 757 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:55,719 Speaker 1: We were, hey, you need to put your mask on 758 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,000 Speaker 1: when the diner, when the server putches the table, Like 759 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:00,560 Speaker 1: at least we were doing that, and now you have 760 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:03,319 Speaker 1: them at home where it's like willy nilly laws and 761 00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:05,520 Speaker 1: everyone's indoors and using this you know what I mean, 762 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:07,919 Speaker 1: It's a it didn't make a lot of sense. I'll 763 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:12,279 Speaker 1: tell you that. Yeah. Well, Brittany, we really really really 764 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: appreciate you taking the time to chat with us today. 765 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:20,040 Speaker 1: Can you uh yeah, one last time plug your restaurant 766 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:25,359 Speaker 1: promote promote stuff. Yeah. So we have Guerrilla Tacos, which 767 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:27,880 Speaker 1: is in downtown it's like Tacos. We have Guerrilla Cofacito, 768 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:31,279 Speaker 1: which is our like breakfast concept, which is right next door. 769 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: We have Thiago on the in Hollywood right by running Canyon. Um, 770 00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:38,560 Speaker 1: and then we're opening a new restaurant this Thumber call 771 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:41,759 Speaker 1: Go Ghost Tacos. So a lot of tacos, but I 772 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:44,960 Speaker 1: mean there's so many wonderful restaurants. UM. I would just 773 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,520 Speaker 1: my biggest point to your listeners or anybody that's hungry 774 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,920 Speaker 1: it eats out is to do your best to actively 775 00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:55,200 Speaker 1: order from independently on restaurants. I love a good shake 776 00:43:55,239 --> 00:43:58,600 Speaker 1: shock Burger. I love McDonald's fry as much as the 777 00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:01,279 Speaker 1: next person, and in and out Burger, But like, if 778 00:44:01,320 --> 00:44:05,840 Speaker 1: you can actively go out to a restaurant that is small, independent, 779 00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,920 Speaker 1: mom and top, like that does so much for the restaurant, 780 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:10,960 Speaker 1: so much more than it does for Shake Shack. I 781 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:14,680 Speaker 1: promist you that's a really good point and post about it. Yeah, 782 00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:17,920 Speaker 1: I always get weird when I'm posting stuff online like picture, 783 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:22,000 Speaker 1: I get self conscious on Instagram. But it truly has 784 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:25,200 Speaker 1: opened my eyes and showed me new new places that 785 00:44:25,239 --> 00:44:29,360 Speaker 1: I want to support. Uh, and it's it's it's helpful. 786 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:32,560 Speaker 1: And how many times are you are you mindlessly scrolling 787 00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 1: and then you see like then cheesy and you're like, oh, 788 00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:37,120 Speaker 1: I need to I guess I'm not cooking a night, 789 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:40,839 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? Like, I cannot stress enough 790 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:44,280 Speaker 1: how much that that really works. And it really moves 791 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:46,799 Speaker 1: the needle for us so much more than I think 792 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:49,760 Speaker 1: anyone can imagine. So I'm gonna get some Gorilla tacos 793 00:44:49,760 --> 00:44:53,560 Speaker 1: this weekend and I'm definitely gonna post about it. Okay, perfect, 794 00:44:53,800 --> 00:45:09,879 Speaker 1: Thank you, Brittany. Together everything don't And that was our 795 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:15,280 Speaker 1: interview with Brittany Vyas of Guerrilla Tacos here in Los Angeles. UM. 796 00:45:15,560 --> 00:45:17,759 Speaker 1: I really appreciate her taking the time to chat with us. 797 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 1: I hope that you guys can find some inspiration on 798 00:45:21,640 --> 00:45:25,680 Speaker 1: your own life from what she's been working on. And 799 00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:29,680 Speaker 1: I actually thought that was really fast conversation. I mean, 800 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:32,120 Speaker 1: I mean, like I know that I said this. I 801 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:34,200 Speaker 1: was like, oh, I'm not shocked, but I'm shocked. But 802 00:45:34,239 --> 00:45:36,839 Speaker 1: it's still just so surprising to me that, like the 803 00:45:36,840 --> 00:45:41,319 Speaker 1: communications that they gave last May is the same communication 804 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:46,319 Speaker 1: they gave this January, Like what, what is certainly not learning? 805 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,640 Speaker 1: Why isn't there a fucking sent a fun fact? Yeah, 806 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:52,000 Speaker 1: the fact they need these Facebook groups and they're like, well, 807 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:57,160 Speaker 1: let's check Garcetti's tweets, UM, check Garcetti's tweets, Like, my guy, 808 00:45:57,200 --> 00:45:59,840 Speaker 1: what the fun? Like that, I didn't want to be 809 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,200 Speaker 1: fully outraged like during the interview because it just felt rude, 810 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:13,080 Speaker 1: but what the fuck's Yeah, but it's like I am inspired, Well, 811 00:46:13,120 --> 00:46:17,160 Speaker 1: I am inspired by all the examples of people coming 812 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:23,839 Speaker 1: together and organizing and working together, um, and you're doing 813 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:26,520 Speaker 1: the other thing that was that was also like enraging 814 00:46:26,520 --> 00:46:28,040 Speaker 1: to me that I actually like, I didn't know the 815 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:30,520 Speaker 1: margins were that bad, but the margins that restaurants me 816 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:32,560 Speaker 1: food apps is lower than I look I thought it 817 00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:34,719 Speaker 1: would be. No, it's really bad. I mean in my head, 818 00:46:34,760 --> 00:46:37,520 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, it's low, but it's like, yeah, 819 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:41,680 Speaker 1: that's that's just it's it is criminal. We will be 820 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:45,960 Speaker 1: doing an episode on the in the future more about apps, 821 00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:50,279 Speaker 1: UM and prop twenty two l AS prop, which isn't 822 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:53,120 Speaker 1: just l A's Prop twenty two US, all the other 823 00:46:53,120 --> 00:46:58,000 Speaker 1: states are are. Yeah, they're all that, but that is 824 00:46:58,080 --> 00:47:01,279 Speaker 1: where a future episode. I think that does it for us. 825 00:47:01,320 --> 00:47:05,920 Speaker 1: Today are our thoughts are with Robert. We miss him today, um, 826 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:09,480 Speaker 1: but we all are really, really really grateful for this 827 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:12,520 Speaker 1: community that you guys have built with us, and I 828 00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:16,360 Speaker 1: know he really appreciates it, so do we. Yeah, but 829 00:47:16,480 --> 00:47:20,279 Speaker 1: we will be back next week with more things to 830 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:25,080 Speaker 1: talk about. Guys. You can follow Katie at Katie Still. 831 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,239 Speaker 1: You're gonna follow Cody at dr Mr Cody. You can 832 00:47:27,280 --> 00:47:29,040 Speaker 1: follow Robert at it right, Okay. You can follow this 833 00:47:29,200 --> 00:47:32,360 Speaker 1: very podcast at Where's Your Pod? Um, and I'll be 834 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:41,800 Speaker 1: back to be back next week for you Everything Everything Again. 835 00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:48,319 Speaker 1: I Tried. Worst Year Ever is a production of I 836 00:47:48,440 --> 00:47:51,319 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit 837 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,200 Speaker 1: the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 838 00:47:54,239 --> 00:47:55,480 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.