Local dining spots brave winter months

Luis Arriaga, left, and Juan Arriaga, brothers who manage Los Tios in Dalton with their sister, Jacki, and mother, Angelica, who also owns the restaurant, are grateful to loyal customers who helped to keep the restaurant open during the pandemic. (PHOTO BY CHRISTINA McCUNE |DGKN)

How does a piece of bumbleberry pie sound? Or comfort foods like ham loaf or a roast beef sandwich? A twice-baked loaded Mexican potato sounds like just the thing to warm you up on a cold February day in eastern Wayne County.

Local and national restaurants have endured quite the roller coaster year. Thanks to loyal customers, popular eateries in the Dalton and Kidron area have persevered.

Last week, the National Restaurant Association released its 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, which measures the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the industry and examines the state of key pillars. The report confirms 2020 was the most challenging year ever experienced by the restaurant industry. From surveys of thousands of restaurant operators and consumers across the country, the restaurant association notes how “restaurateurs demonstrated resiliency, innovation and commitment.” The association’s website noted that customers missed their favorite restaurant experiences.

Some dining establishments in the Dalton and Kidron area tended to follow some of the top trends the national organization found such as streamlined menus and off-premises dining. Local restaurants are coming up with ways to survive the cold winter months when business typically slows down, and managers already are looking forward to busier seasons ahead.

Read the complete story in the Feb. 3, 2021 edition.