WHITEFISH — Whitefish has become a vacation hot spot and local restaurant owners say this week is one they have specifically they have marked in their calendar.
"The funny thing with this week these couple weeks is that it's every bit as busy as summertime in bursts, there's no slow build to it,” explained Buffalo Café owner Alex Maetzold. “It comes hard and fast and luckily, we got a lot of great college kids return. Our high school kids are on break helping out."
Bulldog Saloon owner Eric May says the area has seen each December getting busier and busier over the years.
"People have discovered Whitefish people have discovered Montana. They're moving here. They're coming here to the resorts to ski and golf and all that good stuff. So it's December's are busy."
What makes this year even slightly more difficult than in years past is coming off of a year where restaurants had limited capacity.
"This last few years obviously has been it's own very unique, you know, we got to remind ourselves last year we were at limited capacity. I kind of have to remind myself one year ago we were -- I think it's 75% mandated capacity,” Maetzold said. So, it's been a fast year. It's been a big change but the holiday visitors have returned the ski season's crankin."
"It was just a busy crazy summer no employees a shortage there a shortage in areas of our food supply,” May told MTN News. “It was really, really rough summer for I would assume every retail business and service industry business."
Every retail and service industry business in town is reminding their employees to be extra prepared for the busy next two weeks.
"Knowing that it is you know, two weeks ago, we were pretty mellow and all of a sudden it hits hard. So, it's just making sure they really understand it. Some of our new employees. They get a dose of it; they get it pretty quick. But it's always a funny thing to watch some newer people to the business, understand what this little chunk of time really kind of ramp is about and really just up for it." - Buffalo Café owner Alex Maetzold
