Merritt Asks For Another Bailout, Ty-Flo Finds a Chef

OAKLAND—60-year-old Merritt Restaurant and Bakery received a $162,000 bailout from the city last year to help pay off creditors, but now the institution has asked for another one, lest it close: "[Owner Charles Griffis] says the real issue is a shortage of parking since the Lucky's grocery store next door expanded. And Griffis thinks the city, which signed off on the expansion, has the responsibility to help him fix the problem." [Chron]

FINANCIAL DISTRICT—Tyler Florence has named a chef de cuisine to execute his menu at Wayfare Tavern Update: Or not: Grub Street changes its post to correct that Jason Rose has been hired as the culinary director at The Tyler Florence Group. He was previously the culinary director position at La Cocina and before that, the prepared foods director for Whole Foods. [GS]

SERVICE ISSUES—FYI to the paranoid diners in the crowd: your waiter might be stealing your credit card info. A Kansas City waiter is looking at 35 years in jail and a $750,000 fine after admitting to identity theft and credit card fraud. The waiter—who worked at a posh Country Club restaurant—said he swiped his customers' cards an extra time in his own "electronic device" and then used the credit card numbers to buy stuff online. [Eater National]