WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. – Monday is a big day for restaurants in Michigan -- after nearly three months, restaurants can reopen for indoor dining.
However, they can only be at 25% capacity and will have a 10 p.m. curfew.
READ: Michigan restaurants to reopen with curfew, other safety restrictions in place
It’s a day Michiganders have been patiently and not-so patiently waiting for -- the return of in-person dining.
“We’ve been preparing all week for this and we’re super hopeful that we’re heading in a direction that’s going to work for us,” said Hanna Carter, manager of Pickles & Rye Deli in West Bloomfield.
Restaurants can only open to 25% capacity, but Carter said that won’t be a problem.
“We kinda have it nicely spread out with every other booth,” Carter said. “And we have all our tables ready.”
However, Stage Deli owner Steve Goldberg said he crew will wait a little longer before reopening to the doors to the dining area.
“The dining room for a Jewish deli is a little bit more than just food. It’s about energy, it’s about spirit. It’s about comradery, it’s about neighbors,” Goldberg said. “And with 25% occupancy and masks required at the table, it’s very difficult to get that energy.”
Regardless, the restaurant will still continue to maintain carry out and curbside services until they’re truly ready for more on an impactful return to normalcy.
“As things ease, we’ll revisit and open up when it’s appropriate,” Goldberg said.
It’s not the just the customers who are ready to get back to meals at the table, but the employees who will be also be back.
“We’ve been building up our staff,” Carter said. “Obviously we had to go smaller but now we’ve been able to reach out and we’ve definitely had more people join our team.”
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