King’s Restaurant has closed its location at 2405 N Queen St. in Kinston temporarily due to staffing issues. The employees who worked at the Queen Street location were assigned to other areas within the King’s organization, therefore there are no employment losses due to the move.

“We basically closed that store and took the employees and put them in other places to fill gaps that were needed, temporarily just to help out,” said King’s owner Joe Hargitt.

Prior to the COVID pandemic, Hargitt received on average 15 applications per week, but when Governor Cooper mandated that restaurants close in March, it wasn’t until the second week of June that Hargitt received any applications.

Each employee has their temperature checked when they arrive for the start of their shift. If they register higher than 99.5, they are sent home. Employees are required to wear masks while they are at work and have been required to so since the onset of the pandemic.

“I have one waitress not come in today, one cook in the kitchen not come in today, and someone from shipping not come in today. Three people and it’s like that every day. We can’t get enough help. There are help wanted signs in the window,” said Hargitt.