Reopening restaurants will try to make it work
Capacity restrictions take more of a toll on smaller eateries
Michigan restaurants owners say they are ready to reopen — even with limited guests, a curfew and pandemic protocols. After Gov. h Gretchen Whitmer gave the green light for restaurant reopening Feb. 1, many owners say they finally see the light at the end of what they say has been a very long tunnel. Stephanie Byrd, the co-owner of The Block h
Neighborhood Bar and Kitchen and Flood’s Bar and Grille in Greektown said the restrictions and cautions announced last week are what she expected.
“We were preparing for Feb. 1 at 25% capacity. I am happy about it and we’re going to make it work. It’s better than the alternative of being closed,” said Byrd, who owns the restaurants with her sister, Cristina. “We’ll take it.”
Making it work means Flood’s, which normally could hold 200 people, can only seat 50. Byrd believes it will be enough to make it worthwhile. Flood’s will also have outdoor dining.
But the Block is smaller, has no outdoor seating and will only be able to host 20 people.
“We are still going to do it,” Byrd said. “We are going to serve 20 guests at a time. It’s not ideal but we are going to try and make it work.”
Both places relied on carryout, but Byrd said that’s been hit and miss.
“It wasn’t sustainable on carryout alone,” she said.
With reduced capacity, Byrd also expects to have time limits for tables, something that was not previously in place.
“We are looking forward to being back in business,” Byrd said. “We are looking forward to serving our community and getting our folks back to work. Most of our employees are looking forward to getting back to employment.”
Whitmer said the MDHHS pause of indoor dining has worked.
“I know this pandemic has hurt restaurant owners or restaurant workers, and all of their families. I want to thank those that made incredible sacrifices and did their part, on behalf of our protecting our communities from COVID,” Whitmer said.
When restaurants reopen Feb. 1, the new restrictions will include:
No more than six people to a table, with h tables set at least 6 feet apart
No more than 100 people or 25% capacity,
whichever is smaller
No mingling with other patrons outside h your diner group or in common areas or other places, such as dance floors
All restaurants must obtain contact information h for every person who eats indoors. This is crucial for contact tracing in the event someone who ate at a restaurant gets COVID-19
If an employee contracts COVID-19 or shows symptoms at work, the venue must shut down until a deep cleaning is conducted
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said while the state’s data is looking better, in Friday’s news conference she expressed caution.
“Top scientists and doctors from across the country have reiterated that being indoors with no mask on is one of the riskier activities people can do when it comes to the spread of COVID-19,” she said.
Khaldun added that the safest thing for elderly people and those with underlying medical conditions or who live with someone with an underlying condition to do is not to eat inside a restaurant.
“Because our data is looking better, we want people to have the choice to go to a restaurant, and we are doing what we can to make it safer,” Khaldun said.
The order takes effect Feb. 1, the day after the current order expires, and runs through Feb. 21. Whitmer said the state will monitor case rates during the three-week period — improvements could mean fewer restrictions, but backsliding could mean another dining ban.
Restaurants and the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association (MRLA) expected to reopen Jan. 15 citing COVID-19 case rates, hospitalizations and deaths were declining. But Whitmer extended the indoor dining ban to Feb. 1.
Blake George, co-owner of Adachi in downtown Birmingham and Zao Jun in Bloomfield Hills, said his businesses will do what they can in light of the limitations.
“It’s a start; we were hoping, obviously, for better results,” George said. “But we have to be optimistic and it is what it is. We will pivot as usual and we are excited that we can at least do something.”
Another important key to reopening, George said, is bringing back staff and getting employees back to work.
“I hope it’s successful for us,” George said. Ali Saad is going through the new guidelines and gathering all the information to give to managers at his four Starters Bar & Grille location in Metro Detroit.
Its largest location is in Midtown on Woodward is nearly 5,000 square feet and separate
rooms. Typically, it holds about 300 people.
At 25% capacity, Saad will be able to serve about 80.
“We have a big space, we can separate people,” he said. “We are already set up with plexiglass around the bar and between the booths.”
Saad said they are preparing and working through everything to make sure everyone is safe.
“We’ve spent countless dollars on PPE (personal protection equipment) and, hopefully, it pays off,” Saad said.
“It’s our hope and intention that ... the goal is to expand more.”
Restaurateur Joe Vicari is not happy that indoor dining will resume at only 25% capacity. Vicari, like many other restaurant owners, has been very vocal and strongly opposed the indoor dining ban.
“I think we should have opened again at 50% capacity,” Vicari said late Friday afternoon.
It’s the smaller restaurants, Vicari said, the mom and pop restaurants that will be impacted the most. “These have 90 to 100 seats and now they are restricted to 20 to 25 people?” he said. “You can’t stay in business doing that amount of people. It’s just doesn’t work. “
Vicari believes better communication from the governor is needed.
“It would be much more helpful for everybody rather than a waiting game,” he said. “I think the restaurants have done a really good job doing everything the state has asked.”
While every business sector has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, Michigan’s restaurant industry has been decimated.
On Friday, Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association, said the news was welcome but overdue.
“It is now time for this administration to move aggressively toward a more comprehensive reintegration strategy, which includes prioritizing
vaccination for the broader hospitality industry and establishing clear metrics for phased reopening to 100% capacity of indoor dining,” Winslow said.
Winslow added that the hospitality industry has suffered with nearly 3,000 restaurant closures and 200,000 in job losses.
Nationwide, more than 110,000 closed permanently or long-term, according to results from a November survey by National Restaurant association, because of the pandemic. With the closures, the industry association, in a September 2020 report, said the industry was on track to lose $240 billion in 2020.