Businesses in San Diego can operate at 100% capacity now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted, but one local restaurant owner says she simply cannot do so due to labor shortages.
"If you get to see the line, that's our biggest blessing," said Paulina Chaidez, the owner of the Cocina 35 restaurants. "It's a line out our door."
Despite the full state and county reopening, Chaidez said she had to make the difficult decision to close down her two Mexican breakfast restaurants every Wednesday.
"We are unable to do it, not because we don't want to -- it's because we are unable to," Chaidez explained.
Chaidez and her family run two Mexican eateries, one in downtown San Diego and another in Otay Mesa. She said they average about 120 employees working at both spots. Right now, they have just 80 workers, leaving them in a big deficit.
"We celebrate Mexican Mother's Day here and then the American Mother's Day, the graduations," Chaidez said. "it's the biggest month, and, well, we couldn't handle it."
Chaidez and her family run two Mexican eateries, one in downtown San Diego and another in Otay Mesa. She said they average about 120 employees working at both spots. Right now, they have just 80 workers, leaving them in a big deficit.
"We celebrate Mexican Mother's Day here and then the American Mother's Day, the graduations," Chaidez said. "it's the biggest month, and, well, we couldn't handle it."