Some restaurants finding takeout and delivery just isn't working for them

I was at O'Leary's on Beacon Street for "last call" just before 5 on the 15th. Your first sentence was exactly their rationale for shutting down completely from the start, a decision that was made while I was there.

Likely the same for Bar 'Cino next door. Most of the other places around St. Mary's have been doing takeout (as are Tiffani's places over on Boylston Street), some with more limited menus than usual. I've gone out of my way to get takeout a couple of times, even though I have plenty of food at home and Whole Foods is about as well stocked as usual (not saying much for the smallest one in the country), but the restaurants that are open don't seem to be doing land rush business. And the takeout only supports a couple of employees. Japonaise Bakery, which has always been essentially a takeout business, has cut down to three days a week but otherwise seems to be business as usual. Interestingly enough, Sol Azteca started opening earlier, but I don't know if it's helped them any.

Won't name any names, but I know of one place saying they are selling wine for takeout (although there's a well-stocked wine/liquor store here that is closing a little early but otherwise pretty much business as usual). I wonder if they're rationalizing from the provision allowing customers to take home unfinished bottles of wine (though I haven't heard anything about that provision for years).

--gpm