‘Go somewhere else.’ Jefferson Parish president tells customers to avoid businesses not following reopening guidelines

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WWL-TV)- Like a lot of businesses in Jefferson Parish, Bud’s Broiler in Metairie is working to make sure it’s complying with reopening guidelines. 

“We require our employees to wear masks and gloves at all times,” said manager-in-training Matthew Nuss. “We change out our gloves depending on which stations we’re working in. Sometimes, I’ll be on the register, and I’ll need to change my gloves to go to the grill.”

Those efforts are to keeps employees and customers safe, as concerns of spreading coronavirus grow.

“We do not want this virus to start running rampant in our community again,” said Sheng.

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said a lot of businesses have done well with compliance, but others have not. That’s why she’s asking people to only spend their money at businesses that have been complying.

“If you go into a place and they’re not (complying), this business is not doing the standards that we need in this community,” said Sheng. “Walkout and go somewhere else.”

This campaign of financial influence comes as Jefferson Parish has seen a spike in new coronavirus cases, about a hundred per day over the last several days. Lee Sheng said part of the problem has been businesses not following the rules of reopening. 

Even, the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission has backed the idea, in hopes compliant businesses will mean less community spreading. 

“These are not expensive solutions: mask-wearing, hand washing. They’re very simple. They’re very simple things, and they’re proved to be effective,” said JEDCO CEO Jerry Bologna  

At Bud’s Broiler, only eight tables have been available for customers.

“I’d say our busiest time is between 11 o’clock and 3 o’clock,” said Nuss. 

Nuss said even as things constantly change, staying compliant is part of the daily prep work along with new ways of customer interaction. 

“We have to give them new refill cups. We can’t take their cups back behind the thing. We’ve had a lot of new employees lately, and we’ve had to teach them that each time they’ve come in,” said Nuss. 

Through serving up compliance, Nuss hopes customers keep serving up business.