Andiamo Owner Pens Letter Pushing Restaurant Owners To Resist State Orders

Andiamo’s owners are urging a call to action against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Adhering to her orders, owner Joe Vicari — whose group owns more than two dozen restaurants, including Andiamo — wrote to fellow Michigan restauranteurs, could be detrimental to the state’s restaurant industry.

He’s calling on them to refuse to close.

The Michigan department of Health and Human Services previously announced new restrictions that would remain in place for three weeks, extending through December 8.

Those restrictions cap restaurant service at take-out and outdoor seating, according to Local4, which can be a challenge for many restaurants headed into the winter months.

The Michigan Lodging and Restaurant Association is slated to appear in federal court Monday (November 30) in hopes of overturning those orders, according to Vicari.

“If they are unsuccessful in doing this, we need to TAKE ACTION!” Vicari wrote in the November 24 letter. “As the leading restauranteurs in the state of Michigan, we need to band together and fight this closure. Our industry cannot survive another long-term closure. We are stronger if we stand together and use our strength of fight back.”

Around 4% of COVID-19 cases are tracked to restaurants, according to the Michigan Lodging and Restaurant Association. Still, Vicari and others are bracing for Whitmer to extend the order past December 8. He called for a press conference — including “possibly national coverage” — announcing a reopening on December 9, despite a potential extension.

Vicari called for restaurant officials to attend an informational meeting at 1 p.m. on Thursday (December 3), at the Andiamo Banquet Center. He encouraged them to RSVP to Rosalie Vicari 586-770-1187 or rovicari@vicarirestaurants.com.

The Vicaris declined to comment further to the Detroit Free Press. The news outlet contacted other restaurant owners, reporting Monday morning that many confirmed receiving it but declined to comment on the record.

“Our industry cannot survive another extended closure,” Vicari wrote. “Thousands of restaurants and tens of thousand of our employees cannot survive it either. We need to band together and FIGHT BACK, but we need to do this as a United Group of Michigan Restaurant Owners…We are only strong if we stand together!”

Photo: Getty Images