Restaurants See Boom in Business on Labor Day

Though many in the community had a day off work this Labor Day, State College restaurants stayed open to feed the hungry masses, and saw a boom in business.

Most restaurants stayed open, including Jersey Mike’s Subs, the Fraser Street Deli and Bill Pickle’s Tap Room, and some, such as the Corner Room, saw many customers in walk through their doors.

“[Penn State students] are off school and even the elementary school kids are off so they come here with their parents,” Kyle Zoscin, one of the managers of the Corner Room said. “We are much busier than we thought we would be today.”

Twila Sharbaugh, the other manager of the Corner Room, said that the restaurant usually does see people come in on the holidays, but they were still quite busy this Labor Day, as most of the tables were filled.

Sharbaugh said the only day the Corner Room isn’t open is Christmas day.

Marley Wong, owner of the Green Bowl, stays open on Labor Day because “there is obviously a demand for it,” she said as she pointed to a room full of diners.

“People like to go out on small holidays like this, and they definitely don’t want to cook at home,” Wong said.

Wong said her restaurant closes on the major holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that they stay open on the minor ones as restaurant people “operate on a different schedule than most everyone else.”

Jon Keller, manager of Irving’s, said they were much busier than usual all day.

Keller said that they were busier than the average weekday or the average Labor Day. Keller also said smoothies were the top selling items today, as the weather was warmer than usual.