CINCINNATI (WKRC) -About a dozen restaurant employees are out of a job. Workers said the owners of Chili Time in St. Bernard closed without giving them any notice.

Chili Time regular Juan "Taco" Reiter pulled up to the restaurant Tuesday to see if the news was true.

"Unexpectedly they are closed so, I guess that's how we got to deal with it. Our hearts go out to all the employees, they didn't get any notice. It's a shock sad really," said Reiter.

Lisa Robinson is a longtime cook. She said she called off sick with a virus Tuesday and the manager told her he could not fill her shift.

"The owners Kim and Chris told him if he did not want to cover my shift they would put a sign on the door in the morning and close the place and that's what they did," said Robinson.

Local 12 talked off camera with the owner to find out what happened. The owner did allow Local 12's Courtney Wheaton inside to take down her name and number. The owner said no comment, but the closing was unexpected and she would respond in the next few days.

Robinson said her concern now turns to her coworkers, some of whom are elderly or living with disabilities.

"I know I'll be able to find a job. Everyone is hiring and it's not that serious for me, but there's an 80-year-old woman that's been working there for 11 straight years," said Robinson.

"Chili Time was always a good place to stop. It's so home felt here. Everybody knows everyone. It's not just getting breakfast here, it's saying hi to all your friends. It's a depressing day for us here in St, Bernard," said Reiter.

The sign on the door at Chili Time says it is closed until further notice so it's not clear if it might reopen.

Local 12 intends to check back with the owner in a couple of days for any updates.