Granger restaurant helping employees during pandemic

Ruth's Chris in Granger had to recently lay off 75 employees due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Even though management cannot pay employees right now, they are helping in another way.

The family-owned business is offering employees, and their families, a free meal once a day, Monday thru Friday.

They come to the restaurant for curbside delivery.

Ashley Kyles is a single mom, nursing student and an employee at the restaurant, who was temporarily laid off.

"I always knew that I did work for great people and a great establishment, but unfortunately when hard times happen, they happen, and here we are and they are standing right by my side letting me know that everything is going to be okay," Kyles said.

"When this whole tragedy hit, the first thing we thought is, 'What is going to happen to our seventy-five employees?' So our owners and executive team put together their heads and tried figuring this out...Knowing they are not going to get any money, what can we do? We are in the food business. We said let's feed our people," said Tim Ruys, an operating partner with Ruth's Chris.

"I know that we are all going through really hard times right now. There are good corporations, and it is hopeful we will get past this," Kyles said.

"We are going to be coming back stronger than ever so we need to take care of our people," Ruys said.

Management at Ruth's Chris said they will continue providing meals until this pandemic is over.