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Ted's temporarily closes location due to staffing issues

Posted at 7:31 PM, May 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-10 19:31:31-04

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Those who pull up expecting to get a hot dog and fries at Teds on Union Road are met with a sign reading “This location is temporarily closed.”

“As of today, we have three stores closed, and as a business that’s not a good thing,” said Thecly Ortolani, Ted’s Hotdogs Owner.

Ortolani says the problem is staffing. She can’t get anyone who wants to work.

“People will sign up for interviews and they just don’t show up,” she said.

Minimum wage in New York State is $12.50. If you work a 40 hour week, at $12.50 base that adds to $500 per week.

Under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, workers are eligible to receive up to about $500 per week plus an additional $300 per week adding up to 800 per week.

“We still have a lot of holes to fill,” said Tiffany Gee, the HR Manager at Lloyd Taco Factory.

“Lloyd had to take its popular food trucks off the road this spring due to a staffing shortage.”

Gee says it’s important to look beyond the day-to-day jobs and pay.

“It’s not just a summer job,” she said. “We want people to know you can build a career here. We have a lot of management and leadership positions,” she said.

“Some people are still nervous about coming back due to the virus,” said Daniel Garvey, Manager of the Roycroft Inn.

Garvey is also the past Chairman of the NYS restaurant association.He believes there’s a lot of factors why hiring is so tough right now, and also says some of the regulations on restraints need to be relaxed.

“As the numbers go down, I think it’ll give us the opportunity to open up and take these people and give them more lucrative positions within the company,” he said.

Ted’s says it hopes to get the Cheektowaga location open by June.