SkyTrain breakdown results in extra business for restaurants and bars

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – While it was a nightmare for thousands of commuters, yesterday’s SkyTrain breakdown was good business for some restaurants and bars.

“We actually should write TransLink and ask them to do this once every two weeks because it’s like a mini windfall when these things happen,” says Ian Tostenson with the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

He says thousands of people had no place to go, so many waited it out by ordering food and drinks. “You can’t get a bus, you’re probably not going to take a taxi, and there’s the hope everything will come back online. So, you head to your local restaurant for comfort and joy.”

He says it helped that many places were staffed to accomodate summer tourists, so they weren’t taken off-guard by the extra business. “It probably wasn’t that bad, particularly larger places like Cactus Club, Tap & Barrel and Earl’s, all those restaurants have got some pretty good staff. If they don’t, they’re pretty good at gearing up and making it happen.”

Tostenson says it probably didn’t hurt the SkyTrain service was shutdown during BC’s new Happy Hour.

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