Employee Brandon Cairo never saw it coming. "The day after Christmas, you just spent a bunch of money and no you don't have a way to get some more income for that," he said. "So I think it's messed up. I feel like they should have given us two weeks notice."
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For customers, it's a huge loss. "People were speculating there was some kind of financial issue, then I got to Emeryville and this one is closed as well," said Sherry Drobner.
"Yeah, it's pretty affordable," said customer Roma Groves Waters. "They have specials so it's shocking that it closed."
Some employees have blasted the restaurant on social media for the way things were handled.
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A multi-unit manager with the company for 17 years said by phone, "A business is a business and sometimes they fail, but I'm not making a big deal about it and posting on Twitter. I'm still waiting on a check myself."
"My one coworker Hazel, her mother and her brother actually work there. So in just one day, half of their jobs in the household is gone," Cairo told ABC7 News.
Employees expect to pick up their last check from Pasta Pomodoro Friday. They're hoping there will be no more surprises and the business will keep its word.