NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) – Landry’s Cajun Seafood and Steakhouse in New Iberia says they’re struggling because of COVID-19.

“The mom and pop restaurants are really the ones that are suffering the most,” owner Grace Landry said.

Grace Landry and Elaine Buteau have been running Landry’s for nearly 30 years, and they say this is the worst business has ever been.

“I’ve been through the 1980’s stock market crash. I’ve been through the BP oil spill. But this has been the hardest thing that we have ever had to go through because it hit from everywhere,” Landry said.

She says it’s been hard, but they’re making it. She added that many customers are ordering extra food just because they know their restaurant is struggling.

“We have a lot of good, faithful customers, which is why we are still surviving today,” she told News Ten.

Landry says she’s noticed many of their older customers, however, are coming in less or not at all.

The owners believe it’s because of the fear they have of catching the virus.

“When your doctors and all are seeing you online, there’s still a lot of things going on that make people weary, not that they shouldn’t be,” Landry said.

Regardless, the women say they’re taking all the proper precautions to keep their customers safe and encourage the older crowd to come back in.

Now they say all they can do is hold out hope.

“We’re going to make it, whatever we have to do. That’s how we’ve always done it,” Landry said.