Patronize local eateries

To the editor:

Restaurant Week — July 22 to Aug. 15 — should be celebrated every week during the year.  In these difficult economic times, it is especially important to patronize your local neighborhood restaurant. There is no need to dine in Manhattan with so many far more reasonably priced great restaurants in Riverdale and other adjacent Bronx  neighborhoods.   

 My wife and I don’t mind occasionally paying a little more to help our local businesses survive. Don’t forget your cook and server at your favorite local neighborhood restaurant. We try to tip 20 percent against the total bill including taxes. If it is an odd amount, we round up to the next dollar. If we can afford to eat out, we can afford an extra dollar tip. When ordering take out, we always leave a dollar or two for the waiter or cook. It is appreciated.

Remember these people are our neighbors. Our local entrepreneurs have continued to create new employment opportunities without the assistance of federally-funded taxpayers’ stimulus dollars. They work long hours, pay taxes and provide local employment, especially to students during the summer.  If we don’t patronize our local restaurants, they don’t eat either.

Please join me and your neighbors in continuing to support the Riverdale Press. Patronize their advertisers; they provide the necessary revenues to help keep them in business. Let them know you saw their ad.

Larry Penner