Penn Station fire brings commuters, and business, to Grand Central ... for now

The fire that sent crowds of commuters to Grand Central Terminal was a boon for the handful of businesses that line the corridor above the LIRR tracks. Whereas the main concourse dining area draws customers from Metro North, the subway and the LIRR, small booths selling food to rushing Long Islanders are dependent on those commuters.

“People find this area just because of these trains,” Sarai Moor, an employee at Macaron Cafe said. “People normally don't visit this place unless they have to.”

Despite its name, Macaron Cafe is a booth that sells colorful French-style macaron cookies.

Moor said a strike over the weekend won't affect them because they only open on weekdays. But some of booths won't open if there's a strike and she's not sure what will happen to her job Monday if a strike is on.

Moor is paid hourly and if there's a strike and they don't open, “I'm not going to get paid,” she said. Still, she said she would support a strike. “They haven't gotten a raise in three years,” Moor said.