Takeout Week Support Fairfax Co. Eateries In Time Of Coronavirus

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — With a state order requiring restaurants to limit services to takeout and delivery only, restaurants may be closed entirely or operating with limited services during the new coronavirus outbreak. To help businesses stay afloat, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association launched "Virginia is for Restaurant Lovers Takeout Week," which will run from March 30 through April 5. Visit Fairfax is participating to promote options around Fairfax County.

Residents are being asked to order takeout, delivery, or curbside pickup from restaurants and post a picture on social media using #VirginiaEatsLocal to show solidarity for small businesses during this uncertain time.

Visit Fairfax has a list of featured restaurants and encourages patrons to check individual websites for operating status. Patrons can also look for restaurants available for delivery through DoorDash, Uber Eats, or GrubHub.

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Fairfax County has created an information page to help businesses impacted by the coronavirus situation. The Board of Supervisors has extended the filing deadline for personal property taxes for individuals and businesses to June 1, and the deadline for the first real estate tax payment was extended to Aug. 28. The state extended the filing deadline for February sales tax from March 20 to April 20.

Small businesses can apply for low-interest federal disaster loans of up to $2 million through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The U.S. Small Business Administration approved an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration for Virginia on March 19, allowing businesses and nonprofits to play fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other expenses. Businesses can apply at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. The first real estate tax payment deadline has changed from July 28 to Aug. 28.

One small business owner, Michael Amouri of Caffe Amouri in Vienna is calling for more assistance for impacted businesses from the Board of Supervisors. Amouri wrote to Hunter Mill District Supervisor saying grants would be more helpful than loans for service industry businesses.

"A grant would allow me to keep my staff employed, keep my doors open, continue to provide much needed support to my local community and enable me to be ready, when the time is right, to re-open my coffeehouse to the public," Amouri wrote.