Bradenton restaurant owner pays employees $1,000 bonuses for work during COVID pandemic
The Chiles Group awarded bonuses to about 300 of their restaurant workers last week in appreciation of their service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff with a year or more service received checks for $1,000, while those who had less than a year service received somewhat less, said CEO Chuck Wolfe.
The Chiles Group, founded by Ed Chiles, operates the The Sandbar Restaurant, 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria; Beach House Waterfront Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach; and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, 760 Broadway St., North Longboat Key.
Chiles confirmed Friday that the bonuses had been awarded out of appreciation for the dedication of workers who persevered through the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic.
“Our people made all the difference, in our ability to navigate and survive this pandemic. We are incredibly fortunate to work with a team that shares our values of community, sustainability and family,” Chiles said.
Early during the pandemic in March 2020 with plenty of uncertainty and fear still to come, The Chiles Group restaurants stepped up cleaning and disinfection efforts, as well as taking the temperatures of staff members to ensure anyone with a fever stayed home.
“We are all in the same boat. We all need to work together,” Chiles said.
A week later, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered all restaurant dining rooms closed, allowing only take out or curbside service. At the time, Manatee County had only 15 diagnosed cases of COVID-19. Fast forward to Monday, and there were another 55 people in Manatee County who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, despite the roll out of vaccines.
In early May 2020, DeSantis allowed restaurant dining rooms to reopen, but only at 25 percent capacity. The Chiles Group reopened a week later with all dining outside under covered seating.
“We are really regulating what comes inside and focusing on all the Centers for Disease Control and Florida Restaurant Association guidelines,” Chiles said at the time time. “Safety, safety, safety.”
Due to the untamed nature of the coronavirus, The Chiles Group of restaurants has still not reopened its dining rooms. Instead, all on-premises dining remains outside in the open air.
“Our restaurants are about the experience,” Wolfe said, explaining the continuing emphasis on outside seated dining. To-go meals are available, but the emphasis is on dining outside.
Staff at The Chiles Group learned Wednesday and Thursday of last week that they would be getting a bonus, but were not told how much.
“It is hard for us to express how gratified we are for our team sticking with us.,” Wolfe said. “There was a lot of fear during the pandemic. It is humbling for us as a company that they chose to come back.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2021 at 8:28 AM with the headline "Bradenton restaurant owner pays employees $1,000 bonuses for work during COVID pandemic."
