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How restaurants, bars in western Pennsylvania are dealing with statewide shutdown due to coronavirus

Bars and restaurants across Pennsylvania are affected by Gov. Tom Wolf’s order to shut down all non-essential businesses.

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Channel 11 reached out to several restaurant and bar owners across our area to see how they are handling it:

Allegheny County

WATCH: Bars, breweries feeling the fallout from the coronavirus shutdowns

Just like many restaurant owners in our area, Jeff Cohen, the owner of Smallman Street Del in the Strip District, is trying to keep his business alive by fulfilling takeout and delivery orders.

“We’ll see how much business we have and if it doesn’t work out, not enough customers, we will just end up closing," Cohen said.

But he hopes it doesn’t come to that.

“These are just such unusual times for everybody in the country you don’t even know what to do," Cohen said.

Some business owners say they wished they got a heads up and had more time to prepare.

“But I guess from the standpoint of the government, they want to stop this spread quickly so I can understand their thought process is," Cohen said.

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“It’s the smart call to do but it’s a difficult call. In reality, it will save lives in the end," said Scott Smith, owner of East End Brewing Company.

East End Brewing Company distributes beer to more than 100 businesses in Western Pennsylvania.

“That’s more half of our revenue stream here that basically evaporated overnight,” Smith said.

He’s now forced to lean on his grocery store distribution to-go beer sales and maybe try home deliveries.

Right now, the ban is for two weeks but he’s worried it will end up much longer than that.

And owners are worried about their hourly employees.

“Because a lot of these people go week to week...I don’t know how they are going to survive unless they get unemployment pretty quickly," Cohen said.

Butler County

WATCH: Businesses in Beaver, Butler counties affected by coronavirus

At a shopping plaza in Cranberry Township, Butler County, several businesses already closed their doors.

The ladies dining in at Zuppa’s restaurant had no idea this was happening until we told them.

Dana Bartelme is the supervisor at Zuppa’s. She’s constantly wiping down and sanitizing everything.

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“We will stay open. We will continue to serve. There’s Door Dash there’s to-go orders,” Bartelme said.

Zuppa’s is a locally owned business, and like others, will take a hit during these next two weeks, but says shutting down the dining area, being a good and responsible neighbor is really what it’s all about.

“The most important thing is to try to stop the spread to halt the spread,” Bartelme said.

Zuppa’s said during this crisis, it will offer free lunches to kids.

Westmoreland County

WATCH: Coronavirus causing small businesses in Westmoreland Co. to get ready for slow business

Small business owners in Westmoreland County are feeling the strain.

“The impact would be devastating, I would think there are some mom and pop restaurants that would not be able to survive it. We have employees who are depending on this.," said Mylee Gruss of Thirty’s Craft Pizza and Beers.

Restaurants including Thirty’s Craft Pizza and Beers in Unity Township will be cutting back shifts and turning to promotional take-out orders and delivery deals to keep them afloat for the next two weeks.

Family-owned Pizza Sienna in Greensburg said dine-in and the bar makes up two-thirds of their revenue.

“It’s gonna impact us, especially. We have four restaurants. We’re gonna take a hit but the important thing is everybody’s safety so what option do we have?" said John Alikaya, the general manager of Pizza Sienna.

They’re hoping people will choose to be loyal, from the comfort of their home.

“We’ve been in this business in 20 years and this the first time we’ve seen anything like this," Alikaya said.

At the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, DeNunzio’s Italian Chophouse is offering free meals for first responders who are working during the shutdown period.

Drive-up, take-out meals will be available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

First responders should call ahead, identify themselves and their meals will be free of charge while possible.

All customers should call 724-539-3980 to check availability.

Primanti Bros. Restaurants & Bars

All Pennsylvania-based Primanti Bros. Restaurants & Bars are putting in place the following delivery and take-out protocols:

  • Free delivery will be available from Primanti Bros., where applicable, via www.primantibros.com. UberEats, DoorDash and Grub Hub also will remain available for customers.
  • Takeout orders will be available at all Primanti Bros. locations. Team members will be on-hand to bring takeout orders directly to customers’ vehicles as a convenience and to further protect the health of customers and team members.

Catering Businesses

WATCH: How restaurants, bars in western Pennsylvania are dealing with statewide shutdown due to coronavirus

The owner of The Cooked Goose showed us her plan to keep the doors open while Pennsylvania is on lockdown.

Alexis Burke’s business centers around catering, but with nonessential businesses statewide ordered to close, she is trying to stay afloat.

“I was having conversations on Friday with a client that had an event this week. We had it all planned out and then last night we got some new restrictions put in place and we had to totally cancel the event," Burke said.

Instead, she and her team are putting they’re time and energy into their takeout business, offering a wide variety of fresh and frozen meals for customers.

It’s one of the few areas exempt from the governor’s order.

“We’re just trying to keep up where we can. Obviously, we have a ton of clients out there and we’re there for them if they need us," Burke said.

Burke said it’s a major change for the family-owned company, one they aren’t hesitating to do.

But Burke is confident the Cooked Goose will find a way through.

“Worrying and being frustrated isn’t going to change anything. We just have to roll with what’s coming to us," Burke said.

The Cooked Goose is far from alone in facing tough decisions during the pandemic.