Coronavirus Closures: Restaurants Excited To Open Their Doors When State Reopens
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Aside from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and sounds of bags being stuffed with takeout, Empress Tavern in downtown Sacramento is quiet. It has been since the start of the stay-at-home order.
"It's a little strange. We're used to having guests in here. We miss them quite a lot," Chloe Henry, manager of the Empress Tavern, said. "But we're doing our best to kind of adapt to the new sense of normal."
Customers like Craig Skinner have been loyal to the restaurant throughout staying at home. He's still looking to get his favorite foods.
"We got to do what we got to do to support our businesses to keep things going. These small businesses aren't the large businesses so they don't have the overhead to support themselves," Skinner said.
This restaurant and others will have to change their skin once again. It's all stemming from Governor Gavin Newsom's plan to reopen the state. There is no firm date on when that will happen though.
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Dr. Sonia Angell, California's public health director, said that even when the stay-at-home order is lifted, things will look different. Restaurants may have fewer tables and face coverings are likely to become more common in public, she said.
"Our goals moving forward until we build immunity, we need to ensure we have the ability to care for the sick within our hospitals and prevent infection in people who are high risk," Dr. Angell said.
Some people CBS13 spoke to said it might be a little weird but they'll adjust.
"It's for a good reason and as long as people understand why they're doing something it won't be as weird," Michael Bachner said.
Others are just eager to get back into their favorite restaurants no matter what the new requirements are.
"It's going to be nice man! You know like I said to socialize with your buddies on a halfway normal basis to sit down and have a beer have some food and enjoy a ball game or something," Skinner said.
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Newsom is still stressing flattening the coronavirus curve.
Henry told CBS13 they'll be glad to have their customers back with the new normal, adding that the restaurant will do whatever is required of them to make sure there's a safe environment once the order is lifted.
"I think it's something that day by day we're all getting used to. I remember going to the store and seeing everyone in masks and it was like the craziest thing," Henry said. "But if it gives them a peace of mind and gives us a peace of mind, we're ready for it."
Henry also added that the restaurant did start doing disposable menus just before the order initially went into effect. The Empress Tavern could consider doing this again once they reopen.