City Life and What We Take For Granted - The Restaurants

Center City (WPVI) -- Why do we live in the city?

There are a million reasons, and I think we take most of them for granted.

At the top of the list are the restaurants and bars. On a normal day, we can stand outside our front door, debate what kind of food we want, and walk to that restaurant within minutes. Fine dining, ethnic, hole-in-the-wall... check, check and check. A spot for grown-ups? Check. A place that welcomes our two-year-old son with open arms? Check!

It's not just about the food or the ambiance. It's about the people too. Bartenders, servers, cooks and owners have all become friends through the years. They've turned these businesses into extensions of our own kitchens and dining rooms.

My heart broke today as I walked around town. The city is quiet, although as the day went on, parks began to fill with adults and children. But the restaurants are closed. Some are making a go at pivoting to take-out. Others are shut.

They are all a part of our neighborhoods and our lives. More importantly, the people inside them are too. I worry about the bartenders who have let me stay after closing for an extra beer, for the servers who never batted an eye when our son trashed the place, for the cooks, cleaners, hosts and owners.

Our neighborhoods have counted on them forever and they have always been there.

My wife and I are going to order delivery tonight. We love the food, we want to support the people who make it.

If you can, over the coming days and weeks, order out a bit too. And when this passes, go out and eat, and have fun again.

And remember to tip everyone. They always deserve it and they need it more than ever.