Sandra’s Points The Way In Pandemic

Miguel and Sandra Pittman have figured out how to keep their popular soul food restaurant hopping during the pandemic — and picked up some ideas for how others, too, can adapt when the state gradually reopens.

The Pittmans run Sandra’s Next Generation. With some required changes like mask-wearing and six feet of social distancing indoors, the restaurant has continued its business as if the Covid-19 pandemic were no worry.

Customers who ordered from the storefront on 636 Congress Ave. the other day either received their soulful plates through curbside pickup; picked a number then placed an order and waited outside; or stopped in quickly to pick up their online order.

When the pandemic began, the Pittmans immediately began strategizing to be sure the restaurant could remain open and keep its staff of 27 employed.

The sit-down areas were removed both indoors and outdoors. They are now being used to facilitate Sandra’s Express, the restaurant’s online orders system.

The restaurant uses third-party delivery services like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Doordash to service its customers at home and to be able to keep all of the staff on-site and safe.

Sandra’s Express customers can place their orders online or through the phone. The meal is packaged before the customer arrives to pick it up.

“They make it so you can just be in-and-out with ease. Since Covid, my kids ask me almost every day if we can do Sandra’s takeout,” customer Cindy Gonzales said.

The restaurant requires its staff and customers to wear masks at all times inside. It has masks to purchase for $2 for customers without them.

An employee remains at the door all day to ensure the masks are worn. Only five customers are in the store at a time, said Miguel.

Before the pandemic, 80 percent of the restaurant’s customers already were ordering takeout, said Miguel. ​“There was no doubt we would stay open, we are an essential business.”

Miguel was able to secure a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan earlier this month. The forgivable federal loan equals two and a half months of payroll for his entire staff.

The business team was adamant about keeping all 27 of its employees during the pandemic despite having to deal with losing 30 percent of the business revenue, drawn from Yale students and partnerships, according to Miguel. Each workday requires a staff of about 20 to prep, serve, and cook.

The restaurant also has started doing random spot temperature checks on employees to keep everyone safe.

Sandra’s is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m to 8 p.m. To serve fresh food every day the team clocks in at 8 a.m to begin prep. (Before Covid-19 the restaurant would remain open until 9 p.m.)

The Pittmans said their 30 years of ownership helped them to make smart decisions for the business amidst a pandemic.

Before the pandemic hit New Haven, Miguel foresaw the possible effect on meat companies, he said. ​“I just knew later down the line pork and beef was going to be hard to get.”

So before New Haven’s first Covid-19 case, Miguel was up at 6 a.m. making an expedited order of 1,000 pounds of pork to get ahead of the curve. The business has at least 15 freezers in various locations for food storage, Miguel said, helping them to keep a month and a half worth of inventory in advance.

“For 30 years now we have been structured to always prepare for a rainy day,” said Miguel (pictured above).

While the business successfully obtained the PPP loan, the business team also keeps a reserve of money useful for times like now.

Before the pandemic hit, the Pittmans drew up a seven-year expansion plan. Their plans to build a 300-seat restaurant on Davenport Avenue may need to be redesigned in the future based on indoor seating requirements that are likely to be put in place after the pandemic.

While the restaurant expansion is on pause, the business owners are getting a taste of their next step: transitioning the Congress Avenue store to a takeout-only location.

In an additional effort to help the community during Covid-19, Sandra has decided to provide those customers in need with disinfectant products like Lysol wipes. Sandra purchases the products out of her own pocket whenever she sees them in stock at stores.

“We are where we are because we faced many challenges. We don’t panic. We just stay 10 steps ahead,” said Sanda (pictured above).

Sandra said she keeps her spirits up during the pandemic by knowing they can provide customers with a great comfort meal.

Sandra will begin offering a weekly virtual cooking class starting next week, which has been an idea of hers for years. ​“I feel like now is the perfect time for it,” she said.

Miguel said the key to being successful during such a pandemic is for business owners to not be hesitant to adapt and evolve. ​“Treat your business,” he advised, ​“as if the competition is always knocking at your door.”