BOISE, Idaho — As of Thursday at midnight, restaurants and bars in the city of Boise officially shut down all dine-in services for at least 30 days amid concerns of COVID-19.
“I do not take this disruption lightly," Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said. "I recognize it disrupts our jobs, our lives, the day-to-day activities we all have.”
The restaurant is offering free meals to those directly impacted by the coronavirus or have been laid off because of it.
Takeout, drive-thru, and delivery options are still allowed if the business chooses to remain open, like Andrades Mexican Restaurant on Overland Road.
Even before the shutdown, owner Javier Andrade was making sure those who needed food were able to get it at his restaurant, specifically kids who depend on school lunch aren't getting it. So, he and his wife Michelle decided to step up.
"Everybody can come here, we are going to provide free meals for the kids," Andrade said. "As far as I can keep my restaurant open, everybody can come here. I can feed them, no charge."
Andrade said that hasn't changed since the dine-in closure went into effect.
As of Friday, Andrade explained they're also working on getting an online ordering system up and running, as well as a delivery service.
If you are in need of a meal, Andrade asks that you call ahead first.
"I think that we should all do that," Andrade said. "If we look out for each other, we will be just fine."
Since Mayor McClean's announcement, Andrade says the community has rushed to support local restaurants like his, even setting up a Venmo account to help buy food for those in need.
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