According to Beukema, the decision took root after the second statewide shutdown of dine-in service at restaurants in November. The thought really started in my mind then, he said. Why are we having our team members hang on for something we have no control over? This is really screwing with a lot of people s lives.
Beukema added a major problem is the lack of direction from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer s administration. When is occupancy going to increase? he said. Will it? Or will we be shut back down? It became clear that it was time to push pause. Then we can reopen on our own terms, at our own pace, when we re ready. We won t constantly be trying to figure things out on the fly.