Cranky Café in Merimbula will continuing doing takeaway only despite NSW reaching the 70 percent vaccination target, that marked hospitality businesses able to reopen seating areas.
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The business moved to doing takeaway only options in March 2020 due to the nature of business under lockdowns and changing health orders.
Café owner Lee James said the decision to remain takeaway only had left some customers disgruntled, but they have good reasons to keep their chairs and tables stacked.
"We've found the takeaway business model is working well for us. We've had a few people having a bit of a whinge, but it's number one because we can't get staff for the love of money.
"To open up I'm going to have to employ three or four more staff, which I can't get and I can't afford, so I've just been working with our core staff. There's only six of us and it works really well."
Ms James said without the typical thoroughfare of Victorian travellers after bushfires and lockdowns, they do not have the usual money coming through the business.
"They're our bread and butter, our biggest customers are from Melbourne, so Christmas and Easter are usually huge, but we haven't had those for two years now."
The takeaway only model has allowed Cranky to remain open seven days a week during these trying times and Ms James said consistency remained key to keeping customers happy.
"A lot of people just love the whole takeaway thing anyway because at the moment they feel safer, they can go for a walk, and we're positioned beautifully right by the beach for that."
Although she was not afraid to ask people their vaccination status under the new orders, Ms James would rather not have to put extra responsibility on to her staff.
"We can still operate without having to ask people whether they're vaccinated because that's another thing our poor staff have to deal with, let alone telling people to put their masks on and QR code in all the time."
She said she was unlikely to open for seated dining even after the state opens up on December 1 regardless of vaccination status, as she would not have time to train staff in time for Christmas.
"Everybody is screaming out for staff, no one can get staff, people are leaving hospitality in droves, no one wants to do it anymore.
"We obviously can't get people from other states, and even if we could there is no accommodation for them, so it's a vicious cycle."
Ms James said uncertainty of the industry under changing health orders and future lockdown fears could be another reason why staff are hesitant to re-join the hospitality sector.
"It's a waiting game and we're just not prepared to train new staff until we know what we're doing and figure out how the world is.
"Obviously we might have to change our dynamic when we're fully open again, but you just have to go with the flow at the moment."