{"id":2457271,"date":"2020-04-16T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=324400"},"modified":"2020-04-16T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-04-16T18:00:00","slug":"food-matters-delivery-service-a-la-car-looks-in-rearview-in-rolling-forward-in-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/food-matters-delivery-service-a-la-car-looks-in-rearview-in-rolling-forward-in-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Matters: Delivery service \u00e0 la Car looks in rearview in rolling forward in crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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And then there were six. That\u2019s the number of Aspen restaurants\u2014out of a regular roster of 30 to 35 partners, not counting those in Snowmass\u2014Tom Engelman says remain open for delivery through his \u00e0 la Car service as of April 14.<\/p>\n

After founding \u00e0 la Car in 1996, Engelman has seen the local restaurant scene ebb and flow up close during two dozen spring offseasons, multiple business closures, and now three recessions. While it\u2019s too soon to predict how the global downturn of 2020 will affect the Aspen economy long term, clearly the hospitality industry is on thin ice.<\/p>\n

Engelman has mileage on his side. Similar to old-guard restaurants offering new services (in-house delivery, takeout) or selling gift cards en masse to collect instant revenue, \u00e0 la Car is bolstered by regular customers with established accounts.<\/p>\n

Though food options have shriveled up, Engelman notes that folks who call to place an order over the phone (versus using the mobile app) may still order dishes from as many restaurants as preferred. That might mean a sushi appetizer, steak entr\u00e9e, and side salad, each from a different eatery in a Choose Your Own Adventure request that satisfies various cravings. (Find Engelman\u2019s picks at right.)<\/p>\n

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