HOWELL — A local restaurant owner says regulars have begged him to bring back dinner hours post-pandemic. Finally, the time has come.
George’s Restaurant now has extended hours of operation to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. If all goes well, the eatery might extend hours other days.
Robert Domgjoni bought the restaurant at 138 W. Highland Road/M-59, Suite 100, formerly called George’s Coney and Grill, in late 2019. He took over mere months before pandemic-related restrictions on restaurants forced the business to shift to carry-out.
By the summer of 2020, Domgjoni decided to reduce hours to breakfast and lunch. The eatery continued offering a dinner menu but closed at 3 p.m.
Domgjoni said the decision mainly centered on concerns about his employees’ health during the pandemic and staffing shortages.
“A lot of our workers are 50-plus,” he said. “A little health issue would’ve been a big health issue for them. We didn’t want to compromise their health by working too hard, compromising their immunity.”