LOS ANGELES – Numerous restaurant owners are defying California’s order to close their doors, but they say it isn’t because they don’t think the virus is dangerous. It’s a matter of survival.

As the owners put it — when outdoor dining stops, the rent isn’t put on hold, employee payroll doesn’t stop but business drastically drops.

Dave Foldes, the owner of Cronies Sports Bar and Grill, told FOX 11 he was keeping outdoor dining open to protect his staff’s financial health. He said the business can’t survive on just takeout, which he said only netted $400 last Tuesday.

“We really have no choice, we’re barely getting by, we’re losing $5 to $10 grand a month in our busiest normal months,” he said. “We’re following all the regulations that the rest of the state and country are following, we just need to survive and I need to make sure my staff survives because they can’t afford it.”

At Swork Coffee in Eagle Rock, they are calling their outdoor dining area a “peaceful protest,” a reference to one of the two exceptions in Los Angeles County for public gatherings, which currently allows gatherings for places of worship and protests.

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