At Ronkonkoma's LIRR hub, far fewer eggs frying and coffee being poured
Kennedy McArthur, morning shift manager at Central Station Market at the Ronkonkoma LIRR station Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
Monday morning usually means a busy start to the week for the businesses adjacent to Long Island's busiest train station, in Ronkonkoma, but this week is different.
Kennedy McArthur, who has worked at Central Station Market in Ronkonkoma for 21 years, said the LIRR strike that began early Saturday has caused business to be the worst he's seen.
“Saturday when the strike started, only seven people came until 12 o clock,” he said.
It's continued to Monday morning. He opened at 6 a.m. and in 40 minutes had only served two people.
Mohammed Babu, store manager of the Dunkin' Donuts adjacent to the train station, said on Monday morning that due to the strike, the store went from serving up to 300 customers down to 15.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
LI voters thinking about affordability ... Enroll today for heating assistance ... Immigration crackdown and LI restaurants ... The true cost of college
