T-R photo by Ross Thede Perkins is offering take-out orders along with the addition of bulk food items with Perkins Market.

Many restaurants are getting creative in serving customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. With in-store dining prohibited, most are continuing take-out orders. Some restaurants in Marshalltown, however, wanted to go beyond this.

Alfonso Medina, owner of La Carreta, decided to sell products in bulk to his customers.

“After our dine-in option was closed to the public because of the COVID-19 outbreak, we saw there was going to be a need to provide food in bigger quantities at an affordable price,” Medina said.

Some of the products include bags of rice, beef, steak, chicken, margaritas, gloves and toilet paper.

Medina said people have been thankful for the option to buy food in bulk.

T-R file photo La Carreta owner Alfonso Medina is continuing to serve the community by offering bulk food products for sale.

“The response has been of gratitude. We did not have to do this, we could have continued to stay open for just delivery and carry-out but we decided it was a time to think about actions that put people over profits,” he said.

Medina said they have customers from Des Moines, Perry, Marshalltown and surrounding towns. 

People can pay with cash, debit or credit card or through Venmo. A list of produce can be found on La Carreta’s Facebook page or inside the restaurant. Medina recommends pre-ordering but walk-ins are also welcome.

He said it has been a challenge, but La Carreta is rising to the occasion.

“This tested our creativity, openness to change and our resistance. We focus on things we do have control over rather than things we do not,” he said.

Medina said La Carreta was awarded a state grant to help with costs during this difficult time. He said they are focusing on taking care of employees and employees’ families.

Medina wants to thank all of La Carreta’s loyal customers who continue to support the restaurant through carry-out orders. They are open seven days a week.

“Thanks to their support we are able to turn around and disperse our revenue into actual tangible help to invest back into the community,” he said. “If La Carreta does well, the community will do better.”

Medina said they have sold more than 3,000 pounds of food in the three weeks they have offered this service.

Marshalltown Perkins is also providing bulk items, such as bread, meat, soup, salad dressing and paper towels.

The company calls it Perkins Market, and products can be ordered online then picked up at the restaurant.

Perkins general manager Mike Stromberg said restaurants are struggling right now because of COVID-19. According to him, restaurant sales are down 85 percent. One way they are dealing with this is by offering new products.

“We were looking for ways to stay afloat,” Stromberg said.

He said new items will be added to the market every week.

“We’re constantly evaluating items,” Stromberg said.

He welcomes suggestions on items to sell and has added products based on this. People called in asking if the restaurant would sell salad dressing, and now it can be ordered on the site in one gallon containers.

Nutritional information for products is available at pick-up. 

Though Marshalltown residents cannot dine at their favorite restaurants for the time being, it is still a great time to support these businesses. People can help out by ordering take-out orders or buying bulk food items from them. Restaurants need support from their customers to stay open during this time.

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Contact Anna Shearer at ashearer@timesrepublican.com.