Some Lower Greenville Restaurant Owners Ready To Open, Follow Regulations: 'We'll Survive'
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Some restaurants on Lower Greenville are ready to open, and ready to follow new dining requirements, too.
As part of Governor Greg Abbott's plan to reopen Texas amid the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants can reopen tomorrow at 25% capacity.
But there are several requirements they have to meet. A hand sanitizing station must be available at restaurant entrances, each customer has to get a disposal menu, only six people are allowed at each table and parties have to separated by six feet.
Condiments will not be allowed to sit at occupied tables and will only be available upon request in single portions. If a restaurant has a buffet, restaurants employees have to serve the food. Payment requiring no contact is encouraged.
Restaurants will not be allowed to offer valet services except for drivers with disabled parking placards or plates.
Employees will be screened before coming into the restaurant and anyone showing signs of COVID-19 will be sent home.
On Lower Greenville, some restaurants are ready to meet these requirements and will reopen, others have decided not to.
Charley McGuinness, owner of Dodie's and Charlie's Creole Kitchen, plans to open Dodie's patio.
"We're just going to have the patio open and we'll serve them through the window," he said. "We're opening to take care of our staff basically. It's been a real struggle. It's a step in a positive direction. That's the way I look at it. It's a little bit going forward."
The Avenue Sports Grill owner Kevin Huff also plans to open his restaurant tomorrow and says operating at 25% capacity shouldn't be too hard.
"We very seldom have 130 people in here at once," he said. "Typically, we don't have more than 40 or 50. I would hope in maybe the next month or two we would go to 50% and maybe just go from there on."
"You know we'll survive," McGuinness said. "We've down here a long time. We'll make it."