North Texas Restaurants Tweaking Their Plans To Safely Serve Customers During Reopening
DALLAS COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - North Texas businesses are getting ready to safely serve more customers, after Governor Greg Abbott's announcement on Monday to start reopening the economy.
In Dallas, many restaurants are already working out their plans.
Curbside, delivery, and to-go orders only has been a way to make ends meet for weeks now.
Jeff Wells, co-owner of Company Café & Bar says he's looking forward to welcoming back diners to stay. "I think it's great. I think Texas has a plan and everyone's grateful. I know there's a lot of apprehension," he said. "We're going to do what's legally responsible as well as try to make people feel safe as we try to sustain a business."
Well says Company Café has had just enough business to get by these last few months, operating with a skeleton crew and using social media to get the word out that the popular breakfast and brunch spot on Greenville Avenue remains open.
Under Phase One of the governor's plan, they'll be able to open at 25% capacity for dining in.
Wells says they'll remove some seating, and exercise 6-foot social distancing to make people feel comfortable. Employees will be wearing masks and gloves. But a lot of take-out orders are expected to keep coming in, for customers who want to continue to take their meals home.
Wells sees the state's plan as a step forward, though.
Beginning Friday, May 1 and with only a 25% occupancy allowed, restaurants, stores, malls, and movie theaters will be able to reopen. Also opening at limited capacity will be museums and libraries, but the hands-on interactive areas must stay closed for now.
Governor Abbott says physicians and dentists can get back to work, and that hospitals can fully reopen too, but they must retain at 15% of their bed capacity for COVID-19 patients.
People can also play outdoor sports -- such as golf and tennis, but have to be limited to groups of four or less.
If all goes well with the Phase One, businesses that are opening Friday will be able to boost capacity to 50% on May 18.
Bars, barber shops, salons, and gyms are not allowed to reopen just yet, but Abbott says that may happen by mid-May.