(KGTV) -- "My level of gratitude is through the roof and everything they've done is really moving to see an employer act like a family member," said Randall, server at Black Rail Kitchen.
For servers Randall and Katiuscia, emotions are still raw and high.
"It's really like a restaurant family to be honest, they care about us sincerely," said Katiuscia.
And the emotions felt aren't necessarily what came amid the Coronavirus pandemic, but what came immediately after.
"Many of the employees we have, have been with us since we opened," said Jenny Gottesman.
The Gottesman's own three separate restaurants in the same La Costa shopping center.
Although closing up show for sit-in dining and letting go of staff was a given, what they did next, wasn't.
They started by immediately dedicating two days a week for free family meal pickups for all current and laid off employees.
"I remember the first time i came in for a pickup for a family meal not only did they give me food for me and my partner but they also gave us a roll of toilet paper. You couldn't find toilet paper anywhere and there they were, smiling from a distance," Randall recalled.
Then, they created a GoFund Me page for employee relief assistance.
"We organized a fundraiser out of our Breakfast Beach Plum kitchen on Easter Sunday where all proceeds went to the relief fund," Grant said.
So far, they gave $20,000 dollars to employees with the funds raised and as more comes in, they more they'll give out.
Grant said this current situation will pass but what will stick around is the tight-knit family like community at their restaurants.
It's a super humbling thing because it makes us, and me personally, realize that I do work for people who actually care about me. They're not about the dollar, they're really about the people first," said Katiuscia.
Ultimately proving restaurants are still continuing to serve, despite closed doors.
