t’s 4:00 pm on a sunny Friday afternoon in Athens and the corrugated iron grille of Nonna Edda pizzeria is raised only halfway. Normally, the three workers inside would be preparing for a busy night of curbside diners and walk-in takeaway orders. Of course, that was before the global coronavirus pandemic, and before the Greek government placed the country on a nation-wide lockdown that has lasted for more than a month already.
Now workers start the shift preparing for an evening of delivery orders. “Delivery is what’s keeping us [afloat]. This is what keeps the business going now,” says Miltos Pagonis, who handles the phone orders and cash register at the pizzeria.
Twenty-seven-year-old George Tsogkas has been delivering orders for Nonna Edda for just over a year. His workday starts at noon with a thorough cleaning, when he helps scrub the pizzeria top to bottom. Gloves, masks, and extra bottles of disinfectant are placed on the counters and workspaces. Together, the staff preps ingredients and materials in the kitchen.
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