The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires are some of the most destructive in California history. While the physical damage is still being assessed, there is no way to fully capture the scope of the loss. Angelenos have lost loved ones, homes, and businesses that were the result of a life’s work.
In time LA will rebuild, though these scars will remain. In the meantime, an ever-resilient community is coming together to provide resources and support. We’ve gathered a list of some steps you can take to protect your business and some resources if your business has been impacted.
6 tips for LA restaurants
If you’re located in an evacuation zone or want to make sure your business is prepared for whatever happens next, here are some steps you can take.
1. Communicate your hours
In the event that you need to close up shop or limit your hours of operation, communicate your status to your customers. Change your hours on your website and post updated hours on your social media accounts. Whether it’s temporary due to staffing availability or you’re suspending operations for the foreseeable future, let your guests know.
If you take reservations, you can close your reservation books by modifying your reservation hours.
Place a banner on your restaurant’s website to alert potential guests to your new hours, or share a fundraising link if you have one.
2. Turn off online ordering
If you’re closed or scaling back your operations, turn off online ordering. Potential guests won’t be able to order from your restaurant, so there won’t be any miscommunications.
3. Document everything
If your physical location has been damaged by wildfires, document everything. This will be helpful for filing insurance claims and applying for state or federal aid programs as they become available.
Take photos and videos of the exterior and interior of your restaurant, down to opening every drawer and cabinet to capture the extent of the physical damage. Keep a detailed document listing how your business was damaged with photographic evidence.
Get more information on applying for a SBA disaster loan.
4. Use your Virtual Terminal to take payments
Even if your power is out or your tech has been damaged, you can still take payments or send invoices using the Virtual Terminal on your SpotOn dashboard.
If you still have the capacity to operate and you’re looking to support your community, you can take virtual payments to fund free meals for first responders and those displaced by the fire.
5. Pause automated marketing campaigns
Whether your business is closed or not, it’s a good idea to pause your existing automated marketing campaigns. While it’s a great idea to communicate with your guests via email to let them know the status of your operation and how they can help you move forward, you likely don’t want to be sending out a call for online orders or happy hour deals at this time.
6. Check on your staff
Even if you’re suspending operations, check that your staff is safe and has access to the resources they need. If they need temporary housing, AirBnB is offering free temporary housing for people impacted by the wildfires. There are many organizations helping connect people to free meals: World Central Kitchen, Feed the Streets LA, and Project Angel Food are just a few. For clothing, pet supplies, and other needs, fireaid.info provides a database of mutual aid initiatives across LA.
Quick links
- Los Angeles Fire Department has live fire and evacuation updates
- Restaurants Care has opened a relief fund for LA food and beverage workers displaced or in need due to the fires
- If you’re a SpotOn client, you may be eligible for a SpotOn capital loan. Check your SpotOn dashboard for capital loan eligibility.
- US Small Business Administration will provide more information on disaster assistance
As we receive more resources and information, we’ll update this post. You can always reach out to SpotOn customer support for guidance on how to adapt your restaurant tech during this crisis.
