Because Wall of Text:

"Dear Kerbey Lane Family -

These past few weeks have been unlike anything any of us have ever experienced. The level of anxiety and uncertainty I’m feeling on a daily basis eclipses even the most stressful times in my life and I can only imagine the same holds true for each of you and your families.

As everyone knows, the City of Austin has ordered that all restaurants cease dine-in operations effective March 17, 2020 and offer only takeout or delivery until May 1. Unfortunately, this puts Kerbey Lane Cafe, along with many other businesses, in a situation we never imagined. How do we live our values of Caring for our Guests and Caring for Each Other as our sales trickle to a fraction of what they were just a week ago? How do we become a take-out and delivery-only restaurant overnight?

As you all know, we are a 100% family-owned business. In our 40-year history we have never had investors or financial backers. While this allows us far greater flexibility in how we operate our business, it also means we don’t have deep pockets to fall back on. The current situation is absolutely catastrophic for the service industry and many, many restaurants will not make it through this crisis. At this point, our primary focus is survival. After mapping out all possible scenarios, it's become clear our only option is to significantly scale back for the short-term, so we have a chance of being here for the long-term.

For the duration of this crisis, I will be foregoing 100% of my pay and I’m asking the same of others on our leadership team. I am also asking all salaried Team Members to significantly scale back their pay until we are able to re-open to the public. We will be temporarily closing at least two locations and possibly more as the situation unfolds.

For the locations that remain open for takeout and delivery only, we are maintaining a skeleton crew. And the most difficult decision of all—we simply have no choice but to lay off the remainder of our Team Members effective March 19th, 2020.

We will pay in full all final paychecks for work time completed to date, but we are financially unable to pay any accrued time off. This decision breaks my heart because it is contrary to everything we stand for as an organization and everything I strive to model as a human being. We’re making it only because we have no other choice if we have any chance of being here for you when the world returns to normal. And I promise this: we will do everything we can to re-employ you when this crisis is behind us.

To this end, for Team Members who return to Kerbey Lane, we will make every effort to reinstate accrued time off once our sales volume ramps back up and we have the financial means to do so. I maintain hope that this will be temporary, and as soon as we can we will strive to hire our team back as fast as we can. I can't say now that all re-hires will happen all at once because I can only imagine it will take time for life to return to whatever normal will be. But I want you to know, when we have enough business again to make it happen, we'll do everything we can to find a home for you back here at Kerbey Lane. I also understand that some of you will have to find other employment and may not come back for any number of reasons. But know that when things return to normal, you'll be welcomed back.

If I were you, I'd be asking why we can't just cut back hours, or put people on temporary leave, or any other way of doing this that will avoid layoffs. We considered all those options and more. But because of Texas workforce laws, with a layoff, you become eligible for unemployment benefits through the Texas Workforce Commission. The Governor has waived some of the typical restrictions for getting unemployment benefits and I fully believe this is the fastest and best way for our people to maintain some level of income during this terrible time.

It's nowhere near ideal, but it's better than anything we can offer right now.

You can apply for benefits online or by calling the Texas Workforce Commission at 1-800-939-6631. Detailed information regarding benefits is available online at https://twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits, and we're here to assist you in this process any way we can. We are working with other Austin-based multi-unit restaurant operators to establish a fund to help support you, and other affected service industry workers, during this crisis. We are also in discussions with Austin City Council to seek any resources the City might have to help support you.

This is the hardest decision we've ever had to make, and I know the pain and hardship it will cause. But I truly believe that this is the right decision to make sure you can get unemployment benefits now, and so that we have a chance to still be here to employ you again later.

Please call your Managing Partner or Area Director with any questions and they’ll do the best they can to answer or discuss whatever is on your mind, or help you file for unemployment benefits. I'm grateful for everyone here and what we've built together, and I look forward to what we'll rebuild together as soon as we can.

Sincerely,

Mason Ayer

President and CEO