Saskatoon buffet owner adapts to changing times
Phil Nelson has owned Smiley’s Buffet and Catering for 25 years and knows how much Saskatoon customers appreciate an all-you-can-eat buffet experience.
“It’s a meat and potatoes community so they can see what they want to eat and they can pick and choose what they want,” Nelson told CTV News.
He opened his buffet service on July 11 after more than a year of not offering self serve.
Nelson worried about the fate of his business at the start of the pandemic, but quickly adapted and decided to offer cafeteria style service in place of the self serve lines.
Staff were tasked with dishing up the food so customers weren’t touching utensils or food items.
Sales were down by half, but they were happy to be open at all, according to Nelson.
“Still at very low sales, so just not concerned about making any money, but keeping our staff employed and keeping the building up and running,” he said.
Now with the self serve option into full swing, Nelson instructs staff to clean the buffet lines often and replace utensils.
Customers are required to sanitize their hands before they dish up.
Nelson thinks some changes will be permanent even beyond the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Best Asia Buffet, which also reopened earlier in July, isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels.
But customers are happy to have the buffet option, according to owner Minh Chau.
“It has been a very challenging past year to say the least with moments where we did not know if we could survive for much longer. But we are so appreciative of the regular host of customers who continued to support us through this whether it was for pick up or dining in,” Chau says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.