2 Chainz Delays Restaurant Opening, Feeds Homeless
2 Chainz is taking action.
In the wake of backlash to the reopening of his Atlanta restaurant Escobar, the rapper has decided to delay sit-down service due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to offering takeout service only, he is giving back to his community by feeding the homeless.
“Instead of opening Escobar Restaurant up today we decided to feed the homeless,” said 2 Chainz, who shared a video of Atlanta residents lined up outside of Escobar while adhering to social distance guidelines.
Instead of opening Escobar Restaurant up today we decided to feed the homeless pic.twitter.com/K9eOvpFCRz
— Tity Boi (2 Chainz) (@2chainz) April 27, 2020
He also had a message for those who criticized the restaurant’s reopening. “Doin my part to make a difference ! What you doin besides holding ya nuts on a young black entrepreneurs ???? What happen to the media today ??? Feeding the homeless ain’t that interesting huh ??” he wrote on Instagram.
On Friday, 2 Chainz’ business partner and Escobar co-owner, Snoop Dillard, told TMZ that they were reopening the restaurant and tapas lounge for sit-down service while making public safety a priority.
However, less than 24 hours after announcing the reopening, they went back on their decision. “After careful consideration, we are not going to open our restaurants on Monday. It has not officially been decided when we will start having dine-in service,” Dillard told TMZ.
Sales at Escobar have been down 95 percent during the shutdown, and the restaurant was forced to furlough around 80 percent of its staff. Takeout is only available until further notice. “Stay tuned to our page for the latest updates on our dine in opening,” reads a message on Escobar’s Instagram page.
Georgia became one of the first states to ease lockdown orders and allow hair and nail salons, movie theaters, restaurants, and gyms to reopen after weeks of a pandemic-induced economic shutdown. Despite Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s announcement, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms urged residents to remain home to avoid the spread of the virus.