As people around the are look for ways to stay cool during the extreme heat, restaurant workers are facing an even greater challenge, spending hours in already hot kitchens.
With temperatures climbing into the 90s, kitchen staff are working hard to keep meals coming while trying to stay safe and hydrated.
At Shirley’s, owner Jennifer Bayhurst said the restaurant has seen a surge in customers with the holiday weekend getting close, many of whom are staying at nearby hotels and looking for a place to eat.
“We have a high rise of traffic coming through,” Bayhurst said. “A lot of the hotels above us ask where people can go for food, and they suggest here, which is good. We only have 52 seats, but we feed so many people. With the heat, a lot of people are feeling it while they’re waiting for their food, so we’re keeping fans running and the air conditioning cranked up as much as possible. We’re trying our best.”…