“This affects everybody, not just ourselves.”
But while he might have his inventory under control, John is working hard to support his staff through this unprecedented time. “For me, my biggest worry, my biggest focus is obviously the employees,” John says. Instead of pushing gift cards, he’s launched a GoFundMe for employee relief and joined the Miami Restaurant Employee Relief Fund. Through the funds, all of John’s employees and other hospitality workers in Miami can apply to receive a $250 grant. Pinch Kitchen has also applied to the SOBEWFF & FIU Chaplin School Hospitality Industry Relief Fund in the hopes of accessing up to $300,000 in funding to put towards paying his employees. John has even taken his fight to Congress, joining the support for a bill that would provide employees with six weeks of employee salaries. As John puts it:
“The name of the game right now is just survive. That’s all we’re trying to do.”