Springfield restaurants now selling hard-to-find wholesale items

Some restaurants here in the Ozarks are putting in extra effort to serve the public amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Thai Express and Springfield Family Restaurant are among Springfield eateries using their resources to give the community access to fast-selling items without having to step foot in the grocery store.

"I saw there was a big need for rice, there was a shortage of rice, and a lot of my friends were asking if I could get some rice, too," said Patrick Nett Jr., the owner of Thai Express. "I figured well if I can order a lot from my distributor, then I can help out Springfield by just providing bags of rice, you know 50-pound bags, for pretty much at cost."

Thai Express is offering 50-pound bags of rice and flour.

Across town at Springfield Family Restaurant, you can get your hands on other items as well, like meat, bread and eggs.

"A lot of things are out at the stores and we want to be reasonable to the customers and help them out and see what we can offer to them and just help out the community for it," said Leotrin Zendeli, the owner of Springfield Family Restaurant.

Many of the items are being sold at cost, meaning the businesses are making little, to no, money off of it.

"We don't make any money, zero, because I help the people, and we help the people," said Sontaya (Patrick Sr.) Netthongkome, the front of the house manager at Thai Express.

Food isn't the only thing the restaurants are able to help you get your hands on. Thai Express throws in a free roll of toilet paper with each purchase.

Springfield Family Restaurant is working on getting some toilet paper in as well.

"We should have about 150 rolls come Tuesday or Wednesday so that should help out a lot, there's a lot of shortages everywhere," Zendeli said.

The owners said it's the least they can do to help their customers. They plan to keep this service going until their dining rooms can open back up.

Zendeli said the family's other restaurant location, Springfield Ave Café in Bolivar, is also offering the wholesale items.