The Miles Cafe, on LincolnHealth’s Miles Campus in Damariscotta, will be closing on weekends and limiting its offerings due to a staffing shortage, starting on Monday, Sept. 27.
A notice was sent out to LincolnHealth employees last week saying that the cafe will no longer be offering hot lunch or grab-and-go items, only snacks and beverages.
The hours will remain the same, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the cafe will only be open Monday through Friday and will now be closed on Saturday and Sunday.
“It won’t impact the patients, only the staff,” LincolnHealth spokesperson John Martins said.
The Miles Cafe, a popular local option for a healthy and affordable meal, has been closed to the public since COVID-19 arrived in March 2020.
Martins said it was a very difficult but necessary decision for Tom Schwarz, director of food services for LincolnHealth, to make.
The hospital said in its notice that it will be looking at lunch options, like Metcalf’s sandwiches, to incorporate into the cafe for employees.
“Our goal is to hire more staff and to provide more food options and longer hours of service,” the notice said.
Martins said there is no timetable yet for when the cafe can resume normal operations, but it hinges on LincolnHealth finding employees to work the cafe.
“It’s all about staffing,” Martins said.
