TOWN OF RUTLAND, New York (WWNY) – A Jefferson County diner is concerned that the federal government shutdown will affect business if it continues much longer.
The tables at Meme’s Diner outside Felts Mills are often filled with Fort Drum soldiers.
Owner Brandy Snyder says 70 percent of her business is military-related.
Right now, with a government shutdown and no paychecks for soldiers, it has the wait staff worried.
“I don’t think it quite hit everybody last week, but as the weeks continue, I do believe that things will slow down here. I’m hoping not, but it could,” said Snyder.
With the potential of fewer federal workers stopping in, Snyder says her other customers are aware of it. She’s thankful they are stopping in.
“Our typical Mondays and Tuesdays are on the slower side anyway, but last week, if anything, we’ve seen an increase. It’s been going great. We have a lot of loyal customers,” said Snyder.
A potential decrease in regular customer traffic is just one of the ways that local businesses could be impacted by the shutdown.
Snyder says the National Guard had ordered 1,000 meals for later this month, but it put that order on hold temporarily because it doesn’t have the money to pay for it right now.
“Obviously, it stings a little bit, but we never count on it. In this line of business, you can’t count on anything. Food costs rise, customers decline and vice versa on a weekly basis, so we don’t count on it. Again, it’s gonna sting a little bit, but it is what it is,” she said.
For now, Meme’s will wait it out and hope for an end to the government shutdown sooner rather than later.
Copyright 2025 WWNY. All rights reserved.
