McLoone Reopens 7 Restaurants: '50 Percent Capacity Won't Cut It'

SEA BRIGHT, NJ — As of Wednesday, New Jersey restaurateur Tim McLoone is reopening all seven of his restaurants in New Jersey:

Robinson Ale House (with locations in Red Bank and Asbury Park), Rum Runner in Sea Bright, CJ McLoone’s in Tinton Falls, Iron Whale in Asbury Park, McLoone’s Pier House in Long Branch and McLoone’s Boathouse in West Orange will reopen for takeout and curbside pick-up only, as per state law. They will also sell beer, wine and cocktail "kits." (Editor's note: None of McLoone's restaurants sell pre-mixed drinks or pre-made cocktails and they are in full compliance with ABC regulations. Any prior implication otherwise was the fault of Patch and a misunderstanding of what they sell.)

But the going will not be easy from here.

"As it is right now, we won't make it to January, not if we can only reopen at 25 or 50 percent seating capacity," he told Patch Wednesday.

McLoone made the decision to close all his popular New Jersey eateries when the pandemic first took hold, because "takeout just wasn't our business model," he told Patch. "In our world, to-go business was less than two percent. We didn't have the proper containers or bags; we just weren't ready for that. We took the last month to figure it out as best we can."

Most of McLoone's restaurants have a clubby, intimate vibe, the type of place one might go for a special occasion dinner or even to host a wedding. In Monmouth County, they're known as spots in which to be seen and socialize, usually while enjoying a water view with a cocktail in hand.

In mid-March, McLoone decided that it made more sense for his 1,700 servers and cook staff to collect unemployment than try to keep the business going.

"And then we came to the realization that this is our new reality," he told Patch today. "Otherwise, it was just stay dark entirely."

McLoone applied for and was given Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loans from the federal government. While he didn't want to say how much he got, he received seven loans, one for each restaurant.

"Some were very modest and some were fairly large," said McLoone. "They are loans, and if you hire everyone back it's forgiven. But we can't hire everyone back. And restaurants like ours can't possibly pay it back if we're not at full seating."

McLoone said he's hired back managers and limited cook staff to work in the kitchen. Being told he can reopen at 50 percent capacity, an idea floated by Gov. Murphy and others, "doesn't cut it. We won't make it to January."

Like so many business owners right now, McLoone is just in survival mode.

"I want to be here June 1, 2021 and we're about to have a summer season," he told Patch. "Whatever we have to do to get to June of next year — that's what our model is."

McLoone was also interviewed on FOX Business’ "CAVUTO: Coast to Coast" Wednesday afternoon.

"As I said many times, on March 16, we had 12 locations, and it's as if they all burned to the ground on the same night and we had no insurance," McLoone told Neil Cavuto. "I don't believe that any of us are looking for, come on, open up the restaurants. Because the customers don't want us to open up. I don't believe that they as, en masse, say, yes, let's all go back in. I think the best model that I have is that on an annual basis we could arguably, if everything went well, get to like 60 percent of our normal gross. And if we're at 60 percent, it's not sustainable without more government help. And that's a dream, 60 percent, as far as I'm concerned."

Watch McLoone's interview on FOX here: https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6156402050001/#sp=show-clips

Related: As Pandemic Takes Hold, NJ Restaurateur Lays Off Nearly 1,000