Precautions restaurants are taking as they reopen
Owners want patrons to be confident in safety
The owner of Toast in Milwaukee and The Stilt House in Cedarburg has a theory on how the population will dine out as coronavirus concerns lessen.
A third of people will avoid going out to eat altogether, a third will be hesitant about it and a third won’t give it a second thought, said Gordon Goggin.
“When you lose a third of your guests for reasons you have no control over, you really have to work extra hard to keep the other two thirds,” he said.
For Goggin and other Milwaukeearea restaurant owners, that means implementing extra safety precautions, from how they lay out their tables to how they operate.
“We want to not only do the right thing, but make sure when somebody walks through the door, they can have that sense of security, that they know it’s safe and they’re going to have a great experience,” Goggin said.
‘It’s a whole new world’
The Stilt House opened May 16 at 50% capacity — going from 64 to 32 customers maximum indoors and from 40 tables down to 20 on the patio. Indoor and outdoor tables are spread more than 6 feet apart, Goggin added.
For the time being, the restaurant has switched from using reusable dishes to disposable paper or plastic plateware, silverware, cups and napkins.
“I think it helps reassure the public, our guests, that there’s no way someone else could come in contact with this item,” Goggin said.
The restaurant has added hand sanitizer at the front entrance, by the entrance and exit of the patio and right outside restrooms.
Staff members are wearing face masks and gloves, and are encouraged to wash their hands frequently, Goggin said.
Both of Goggin’s restaurants have been offering carryout during the pandemic. Despite The Stilt House offering dine-in again, he said, its carryout service is still going “very strong.”
During the pandemic, Goggin said, he cut both of his restaurants’ staffs by at least 75%. He’s been able to hire back 80% of those employees in Cedarburg
and hopes to be able to do the same at Toast.
Since reopening, Goggin said he’s noticed that guests have been a lot more laid back and generous.
“They realize that the staff, their income was significantly affected by the shutdown, and I’m just blown away by how generous people are with their tips,” he said. “They’re genuinely trying to make sure that the server or bartender that’s taking care of them has something to rely on.”
Goggin plans to use similar safety measures to what’s being done at The Stilt House at Toast. Toast was scheduled to reopen for dine-in June 12 with a capacity of 22, down from 99.
“It’s a whole new world,” Goggin said. “This is not the same restaurant business it was six months ago or six years ago. We’re just trying to do our best and see what the future holds.”
Plexiglass and reservations
Mo’s, A Place For Steaks in Milwaukee.
Since Mo’s Wauwatosa location opened May 29, Vassallo said sales have been running at about 30% of what they were last year.
The capacity of the restaurant has been cut in half. Staff members have been sanitizing tables more frequently and wear masks, he said.
The Milwaukee steakhouse’s bar opened the night of June 5 with half of its bar stools removed. It plans to open for dine-in June 9 with limited hours and seating at every other table.
Mo’s Irish Pub’s downtown location, on the other hand, won’t open for dine-in for about another month, he said.
Sanitizing checklist