SOUTH FORK - South Fork invites the public to dine in South Fork and get a 25% discount off the food portion of your bill. A new program called Dine In South Fork supports six local eateries that are mandated to offer only drive-thru, take out, or delivery options due to the national COVID-19 situation. The program starts March 27 and goes through the end of April.
“Restaurants have been hit particularly hard by the recent mandates,” stated Kris Steffens, Friends of South Fork executive director. “The Dine in South Fork program offers the community an opportunity to support our local restaurants and get a 25% discount off the food portion of their bill. Yes, you read that correctly—25% discount on takeout food orders.”
The Town of South Fork and two other organizations, South Fork Chamber of Commerce and Friends of South Fork, joined forces to develop a creative solution to assist the town’s restaurants. Working collaboratively, the three organizations developed the Dine In South Fork program. The six restaurants participating in the program are: Mountain Pizza & Taproom, Rachel’s Keep on Keepin On food truck, Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant, Rio Grande Club and Resort, The Old Firehouse and Tiny Timbers Bistro. Three  restaurants, Rockaway, Spruce Lodge and Two Rivers BBQ have opted to close.
A few of the open restaurants offer family-style meals, while others offer a limited takeout menu. Some restaurants offer delivery service within a certain mileage radius. Just visit each restaurant’s website or call and ask about their options. The following website https://southfork.org/dine lists the establishments where you can get meals to go. The list also contains days and hours of operation, menus, online ordering instructions, phone numbers and so on.
The state-mandated closures inflict undue financial stress on many small businesses, such as restaurants. The closures force many businesses to adopt new operating models, and in the case of restaurants, new methods of food delivery and streamlined menus. The financial stress also goes beyond the restaurant owners to the staff who face cutbacks on their hours or temporary layoffs. In some instances, former wait staff now deliver the food orders, answer the phone and work curbside.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get a 25% discount on delicious food. If you are working from home, getting a little stir crazy or tired of spaghetti every night, order takeout! While the state has allowed restaurants to sell bottled beer, wine and alcoholic beverages, the Dine In South Fork discount is only for the food portion of the bill. The six restaurants offer a range of menu offerings including soup, sandwiches, steaks, salads, hamburgers, chicken, pasta, vegetarian, pizza, calzones, Mexican, wraps, breakfast, pastries, desserts and more.
South Fork Chamber of Commerce president, L. L. Van Osdol, stated “The owners, managers and staff of these business are our family, friends and neighbors; and we want to help them survive this difficult period.” She also suggested, “If you can, purchase gift certificates to be used later. The gift certificates help the cash flow that is so necessary during this time. Restaurants have rent or mortgage payments, insurance, and utility expenses that are ongoing. Above all, remember you are helping a small business on the corner to stay afloat during this challenging time.”
Another suggestion to alleviate the social distancing we must follow, post social media photos of your family and friends eating the takeout meals. Tell others what you ordered and the restaurant name.