At the start of COVID-19 many restaurants went into lower capacity or temporarily closed, with COVID-19 being around for so long many restaurants can’t afford to be open any longer. With many people quarantining at their homes, many restaurants are left without customers and no way to pay their workers.  

The loss of jobs and restaurants leaves the many people in the Bowie and Austin communities jobless. Sophomore Alyssa Vasquez’s family does their best to keep restaurants open. 

“We are going out to eat at local restaurants/ small businesses to help them keep their doors open, we also do takeout as well,” Vasquez said. 

Not only are local restaurants closing down but also a big chain of companies due to their lack of  business.Sophomore Angelina Williams missing getting to order her 30 pack nuggets from Chick-Fil-A.

“It saddens me because I [can’t] get my chicken nuggets, [plus] they must be feeling pretty sucky,” Williams said. 

On May 22nd restaurants slowly opened back up again, leading to a large controversy regarding health precautions. As some restaurants are starting to open back up students are finding various ways to support local restaurants. Local restaurants need people to buy from them in order to stay open, sophomore Katie Simons is still finding ways to order. 

“There are apps that I use more now like Postmates, that allow me to order the food online and it comes to my house,” Simons said. 

All of the local restaurant owners tried their best to keep their business open including James Holmes the owner of Lucy’s Fried Chicken, but his hopes and hard work came to a devastating end when people just stopped ording as much. 

“Being in culinary has helped with this experience because I can help my family cook and also make sure that I am continuing to eat healthy and good foods,” sophomore Shelly Kleinerman said. 

Job layoffs for each state have reached 20%, some Bowie students and families have lost their jobs, including Alexis Williams. 

“I feel that getting a job next summer will be challenging because of the lack of places I could apply for. The closing of restaurants has made it harder for me in the future to find somewhere to work,” sophomore Brooke Dallmann said. 

Covid-19 has caused many iconic Austin restaurants to shut down, some of the most popular Austin has sadly lost are Austin Java (three out of four locations), Magnolia Cafe West, and Shady Grove. 

“I think it’s sad because many people who worked at those restaurants lost their jobs and I’m sure it’s hard for business owners to lose their restaurant,” Vasquez said. 

Many families have started cooking more at home due to restaurants closing, it brings some families together but not others, multiple families don’t enjoy the food their parents make.

“Not only have the restaurant closures hurt the workers’ families but I also feel a need to help but don’t know any more ways I can,” Simons said. “I am currently helping them out by leaving big tips as well as making sure that if possible I go to local restaurants and not big chains.”

Fortunately, some restaurants like Diner Counter Cafe, East Austin winery, The Infinite Monkey Theorem,and pieous are opening back up for take-out. 

“It gives me hope knowing that restaurants are opening back up, as well as the options for new restaurants,” Williams said. 

With all these people losing their jobs that means that many local restaurants have closed leading to a very large job loss. Over 22 Million people have been left unemployed in the USA, more than 1 in 4 people in Austin have been left unemployed. 

“Although I’m sad that many local restaurants have closed, I’m very excited to go to some of the new restaurants that are opening like Granny’s Tacos, Chipotle, Aba Austin and many others,” Kleinerman said. 

After 41 years of being open, Austin’s Magnolia Cafe West has permanently closed due to COVID-19. The Austin community as a whole has been changed because now a piece of Austin is missing. 

“Yes, the restaurant closures have affected my family greatly,” Dallmann said. “ We like to go out to eat every once in a while and my family is upset because we can’t spend as much family time together.”