Char Broil restaurant in Brighton NY suspends dinner service. Here’s why

Char Broil restaurant in Brighton NY suspends dinner service. Here’s why

The Char Broil Family Restaurant, a Brighton institution at 2450 Monroe Ave., announced Monday afternoon it has suspended dinner service because it can’t find enough help.

“The restaurant industry is facing unprecedented staffing issues and unfortunately we are feeling the effects,” read a post to the Char Broil’s Facebook page. “We, as a family, have made the difficult decision to reduce our hours.”

The new hours are 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. The Char Broil is closed on Monday. Previously, its hours were listed as 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (and closed on Monday).

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“We will maintain this schedule for the summer and reassess after Labor Day,” the post continued.

The 2450 Monroe Ave. address has been home to food businesses for more than 40 years. “CharBroil” first appeared in the name in 1983, according to records shared by Brighton historian Mary Jo Lanphear.

Tom Tette and his son Shawn bought the establishment in 1999 “with the dream of bringing this neighborhood gathering place to the next level and create the ‘Fine Diner Experience’ we know and love today,” according to the restaurant’s website.

The first step was expanding the original menu, which includes all-day breakfast, and adding such dishes as chicken French, chicken Parmesan and stuffed peppers. In 2004, Tette’s youngest son, Michael, joined the staff, further enlarging the menu with new soups and handmade chicken pot pies. Today, “You might even see the 4th generation — Shawn’s young children, Michael and Lila — either helping to refill the salad bar or shadowing waitresses with a pretend order pad in hand,” the site reads.

Last month, restaurant owners statewide told the Democrat and Chronicle that an unheard-of labor shortage has stymied their ability to dig themselves out of financial shortfalls resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. This comes at a time when warmer weather and the freedom that vaccines allow are making diners, cooped up all winter, more eager to go out to eat. When they do, they will likely see the effects of the workforce shortage: adapted menus, hard-to-find reservations, higher prices, reduced hours and, in the end, fewer restaurants.

“Across the board, for the front of house and for kitchen staff, it’s been near impossible to find staff,” said Tyrone Azanedo of Maura’s Kitchen in Nyack, Rockland County. “I think it’s a combination of things: They’re getting unemployment money, may be too scared to come back or have left the industry.”

A 2016 report by nonprofit workers’ rights organization Restaurant Opportunities Centers United found that more than 200,000 parents worked in the restaurant industry in New York state; of those, 92,000 were mothers and 45,000 were single mothers. With many school districts operating remotely or with hybrid models, those parents are in a bind for child care.

From April: Yet another restaurant crisis: finding help. What that means for your dining experience.

New: Jobs in New York: Why businesses are facing a worker shortage amid COVID-19.

Includes reporting by Tracy Schuhmacher.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.