EDMONTON -- A diner south of Edmonton has no choice but to stop taking orders after getting an "overwhelming" response to its ask for help.
The Saskitoba Diner in Nisku specializes in homemade Ukrainian fare.
Wednesday afternoon, diner management put out a plea on social media for residents to support the business by ordering its supper specials on Friday.
Owner Candy Galay called it the "Help Us Pay Our Rent Event," explaining in the online post, "I'm filled with stress" since "things are so bleak."
"People who know me know that I am nothing but a fighter," Galay told CTV News Edmonton. "I was not going to go down without trying to get the help and let people know there's businesses like ours looking for their support."
The Saskitoba Diner opened last February so it hasn't been able to access government supports since it isn't able to prove a year-over-year loss in revenue.
The owner also wrote in her post that "work-from-home orders, dine-in restrictions and oil field losses have significantly affected our market."
"They're struggling. All small businesses are struggling and everybody has to help out however they can," first-time customer Kim Dempsey told CTV News Edmonton.
Late Thursday morning, the diner posted an update saying it received an "unprecedented" and "overwhelming" response and could no longer take orders.
"I talked to so many people," Galay said. "I sat on the phone and cried with a virtual stranger – who I had never spoken to – for five minutes because she is a small business owner also understanding what I am going through."
Galay said she wanted to thank each person who made an order, shared the post or sent them well wishes.
She called the province "amazing" and reminded customers, "We are still open every single weekday and the food is always delicious."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk
