SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, OH (WTOL) - Monday, employees of Don Pablo's restaurant in Springfield Township say they found out they were without a job in the worst way - by showing up to work to a shut down building.
In a parking lot where there were usually dozens of cars around dinner time, it was empty. The doors to the restaurant were locked and the lights
inside were off, while the advertisement signs continued to glow in the windows.
"We stand there for roughly 20 to 30 minutes ringing a back doorbell and nobody answers," said Autumn Morris, a former employee.
Morris says she and some coworkers arrived at Don Pablo's early Monday morning to start food prep for the lunch hour. That's when they realized something was wrong.
Morris says she started calling around until she finally got in touch with upper management. "Go ahead and go home - we've been shut down," Morris says she was told.
Customers drove in and turned around, just as confused as Morris. "No explanation; we got fired," Morris told one man, who seemed frustrated by the locked doors.
"I would just like a reason to why you closed and a reason to why you felt not to warn your people that devote their life to making this company run," said Morris.
Morris says she has a second job she'll rely on now that Don Pablo's is closed, but she has coworkers who have to start over.
"We're just restaurant employees," said Morris. "We don't have a pension, or any security money. We, we work day-to-day, tip-to-tip and check-to-check, so that's what makes it so horrifying."
In addition to an explanation, Morris says she's also hoping for her final paycheck. It's supposed to come Friday.
WTOL 11 reached out to Don Pablo's for comment, but did not hear back.
The Toledo-area Don Pablo's, off Airport Highway, is not included in the list of restaurant locations on the Don Pablo's website.
