Frozen meals help Regina restaurant adapt during COVID public health measures

Nicky’s Cafe has adapted to sell its signature meals frozen as Regina restaurants cope with uncertainty while they try to survive another round of tougher COVID measures.

Regina restaurants were ordered to close their doors to in-person dining as of March 28. The public health measure has since been extended multiple times to at least April 26.

When the pandemic first hit last spring, Nicky’s Cafe instantly lost a big money-maker.

“A lot of our business was catering. Caterings have gone from 50 per cent of my sales to zero,” said owner Perry Makris.

With takeout and delivery making up a very small percentage of his family business, Makris wanted to find a way to get more of the cafe’s food into people’s homes.

Now, business is quite literally frozen as the restaurant has started selling frozen soups and dinners in local grocery stores through the pandemic. They include the signature dishes the restaurant is known for including Salisbury steak, turkey dinner, chicken parmesan and liver and onions.

“The only solace I can take from COVID, being as the restaurant and hospitality sector has been suffering so much, is coming out with a frozen dinner idea,” said Makris.

“It still doesn’t make up for the loss of business of restaurants being shut down. It’s breaking even, paying the bills.”

The idea started with a small selection of homemade dinners sold in frozen microwavable containers in the front area of the restaurant. In January, that area was transformed into Nicky’s Market, which also sells olive oil, herbs and tea from the family village in Greece, plus Saskatchewan lentils and chickpeas.

“We’re local. We like to support local as much as we can and people support us. That’s the whole thing as well too is just trying to help each other out,” said Makris.

Before COVID, Makris said he had about 18 employees. Now that the dining room is closed, the cafe is down to just three staff members.

“I’m not bringing any money home. I haven’t brought any money home for a year,” said Makris.

“It’s just been hard. You’re just trying to pay the bills right now, breaking even and help whatever employees I can.”

Even when restaurants were allowed to open at 50 per cent capacity, Makris said people were hesitant to dine in. He thanks the public for their support, calling his customers family.

He said he misses the banter and talking politics with them and looks forward to the days when the seats can be filled once again.