Restaurant’s patrons chip in to provide free lunch for those on COVID front line

LACONIA — In trying times, few things can offer comfort like a satisfying bite to eat — call it comfort food.

John Morin, owner of My Coffee House, has been delivering sandwich platters to people on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday, Morin and his son Bandon, were preparing a variety of roll-up sandwiches to bring to nurses and others working in the ICU at Lakes Region General Hospital. A My Coffee House patron paid for the sandwiches, Morin said.

Two weeks ago they prepared similar lunch fare for both the Laconia Police Department and Laconia Fire Department — also paid for by a customer.

“There are lots of good people who are stepping forward to do things like that,” Morin said.

He said that he would be bringing a noontime nosh for the staff on another patient unit at LRGH sometime next week.

Each platter has enough sandwiches — turkey, chicken, tuna, and BLT — to feed between 10 and 15 people, Morin said.

My Coffee House, which is open for breakfast and lunch, has been hit hard by the pandemic. Business is down around 70 percent. But Morin said business is starting to pick up.

“Last week it was between 50 and 60 percent down,” he said.

He was able to transition to take-out only pretty easily.

“We do about 60 percent take-out ordinarily,” Morin explained.

He’s looking forward to being able to offer outside dining next Monday, which will be the first day restaurants will be able to offer that service under the Gov. Chris Sununu’s order issued last Friday.