Rumors Confirmed: Lunch Discontinued at Robuchon

The rumors that began circulating two weeks ago have finally been confirmed. L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon will close for lunch on July 20. A tipster tells us that HR informed the staff yesterday and that the ten daytime employees were laid off. The official PR at Robuchon won't confirm the layoffs but we do have this official statement:

"L'Atelier will no longer be serving lunch as of Sunday, July 20, however we are happy to assist you with lunch reservations in 57 restaurant and TY lounge...This was a business decision that was made after careful consideration, and it allows us the opportunity to really focus on our dinner service..."

Canceling lunch service right in the heart of Midtown is a dramatic move for any high end restaurant. Could this mean bigger problems are a cookin' at L'Atelier, or are they just trying to save some dough in a tough economic climate?
· Trouble at Robuchon: Lunch Service, Chef Suga Doneski? [~E~]