Independent restaurant owner on LA suspending outdoor dining ahead of Thanksgiving

Public health officials have suspended outdoor dining in LA County for the next three weeks — starting 10 p.m. this Wednesday. Restaurants are still allowed to do takeout and delivery.

Greg Amsler is owner of Salt Creek Grille in Valencia. He says his restaurant must undergo its second round of layoffs, which means 10-15% of employees will be left, and those who previously lost their jobs already used most of their unemployment benefits.

He has one big question: “If you can't go out to eat, is this going to force people to go and congregate at other people's homes that may be much less safe than you would at a restaurant?”

He believes Salt Creek Grille will survive for now, but many mom and pop restaurants will not.