Restaurants prepare to reopen dining rooms next week

Restaurant owners are ready and excited to open their dining rooms again after more than a month of carryout-only service.

Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday announced a step-by-step plan to fully reopen the state’s economy by July 4, including allowing restaurants to reopen dining rooms at 50% capacity Monday.

The announcement brought relief to many restaurant owners who had to close their dining rooms in mid-March, wondering if their businesses could survive past May on the carryout-only model.

"Obviously we’re excited. I think that will be a boost for everybody, not just financially, but emotionally too," said Sherry Young, owner of Court Street Cafe in downtown Franklin.

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There is still a lot of planning and preparing that needs to be done between now and next week though, Young said. 

"I don’t think anyone is really sure what it’s going to be like," she said. "We may have to turn some people away, or take reservations only."

The state listed several guidelines on its website, backontrack.in.gov, that restaurants should follow once they open dining rooms back up. Besides operating at 50% capacity, tables must be at least six feet apart, and all employees are required to follow several sanitary procedures, including wearing masks and gloves, according to those guidelines.

Restaurant employers should also screen employees for fevers and COVID-19 symptoms upon entry. Sanitizing stations for customers should be made available, and all bars, self-service buffets and drink fountains should be closed. 

The safety plans restaurants are required to come up with don’t have to be submitted to the state, but must be posted publicly by the businesses by Monday.

Starting June 14, dining rooms can move to 75% capacity, and bars can reopen at 50% capacity, according to state guidelines.

One of the biggest concerns among restaurant owners is having their employees wear masks constantly. Jim Klein, manager at Ann’s Restaurant in Franklin, said masks aren’t practical in a restaurant environment.

"When you cook in a 100-degree kitchen, and you have people answering the phone, a mask is not the most practical thing," Klein said.

Young shares that concern for her cooks in the hot kitchen, she said. 

"Prayers are appreciated for our cooks standing over griddles at 350 degrees," she said. "It’s going to be rough to breathe in that environment."

The state will not provide masks to restaurants so they have to find their own way to get the supplies that are needed. Ann’s was able to get a shipment of N95 masks from the Tara Treatment Center, the organization they partner with for service. But other items, such as hand sanitizer, might be hard to come by, Klein said.

"The supply chains are breaking down so we can’t even purchase some of the things we need to do all this," Klein said.

Young is having someone sew masks for employees at Court Street Cafe, she said. 

Also on their to-do lists is rearranging tables. At Ann’s, Klein is concerned about fitting 50% of the restaurants regular capacity within six feet of each other since the dining room is so small.

He is planning to extend the dining area into the upstairs banquet hall, open the back dining patio and close the parking lot to add more picnic tables outside, he said.

"The biggest thing we can do is maximize the amount of customers we can have at a given time," Klein said. 

At Coffeehouse Five’s locations in Franklin and Greenwood, owner Brian Peters said they are debating whether to allow dine-in customers, even after they’re given the OK to open.

The coffee shop’s new online ordering and curbside service has worked well for them, so they will likely continue that for customers, Peters said.

"Our biggest difficulty is going to be trying to figure out how to deliver food to customers, and maintain safe separation," Peters said. 

But, they are working on plans to space out seating for dine-in customers. It just may not happen right away.

Court Street Cafe also plans to seat customers at every other table and encourage outdoor seating.

With restaurants already following strict cleaning guidelines, Young said the only thing they really have to plan for is how to implement social distancing.

Regardless of the strict guidelines in place, restaurant owners are ready to reopen.

"We’re super excited," Klein said. "We want to see everybody soon."

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Here is a look at when and at what capacity restaurants will be allowed to reopen:

Since mid-March: Restaurants and bars closed to carryout and delivery only

Monday: Restaurants can open dining rooms at 50% capacity; bars must remain closed

June 14: Restaurants can open dining rooms at 75% capacity; bars can open at 50% capacity

July 4: Restaurants and bars can fully reopen

Source: backontrack.in.gov

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