Restaurants can operate at 75 percent capacity

Restaurants can operate at 75 percent capacity

March 19 is the day a lot of restaurant owners have been waiting for - the day they get to operate at 75 percent indoor capacity.

But that doesn't apply to restaurants that don't have enough square footage to work with.

LOCALRESTAURANTS ARELOOKING A LITTLEBUSIER THAN USUALTONIGHT...THAT'S BECAUSECAPACITY ATRESTAURANTSACROSS THE STATEHAVE OFFICIALLYBEEN BUMPED UPTO 75 PERCENTCAPACITY...BUT IS THATENOUGH TO KEEPEVEN THE SMALLESTMOM AND POPOPERATIONSRUNNING...7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERALA ERREBHI TAKESA LOOK..MARCH 19 IS THEDAY A LOT OFRESTAURANTOWNERS HAVE BEENWAITING FOR.

IT'STHE DAY THEY GETTO OPERATE AT 75PERCENT INDOORCAPACITY.THAT MEANS MORETABLES, MORECUSTOMERS ANDMORE EARNINGS.BUT THAT DOESN'TAPPLY TORESTAURANTS THATDON'T HAVEENOUGH SQUAREFOOTAGE TO WORKWITH.STANDUP:"FOR THEBAR-BILL TAVERN INEAST AURORA,OPERATING AT 75PERCENT ISN'T THATSIMPLE,""SADLY IT DOESN'TCHANGE A THINGFOR US."THE COZY ANDINVITINGATMOSPHERE ISWHAT MAKE THETAVERN WHAT IT IS.BUT OWNER CLARKCROOK SAYS IF THESIX-FEET DISTANCERULE DOESN'TCHANGE, IT'S GOINGTO HAVE ASIGNIFICANT IMPACTON THE BUSINESS."WE'RE REALLYGOVERNED BY THESIX-FEET RULE.

SOIF THE SIX-FEETRULE EVERCHANGES, PERHAPSTO THREE FEET, THETHAT WILL HAVE ANIMPACT.

BUT UNTILTHEN WE'LL BEOPERATING PRETTYMUCH AT 50PERCENT,"OWNER OFRISTORANTELOMBARDO THOMASLOMBARDO SAYSTHE NEW RULEDOESN'T DO MUCHFOR HIS BUSINESSEITHER."THAT DOESN'TREALLY ALLOW US -SPECIFICALLY THEWAY WE HAVE OURDINING ROOM LAIDOUT - TO REALLYINCREASE OURCAPACITY.

YOUREALLY CAN'T PUTMORE TABLES ORCHAIRS IN THERESTAURANTS UNTILYOU CAN LOOSENTHAT RESTRICTION.BECAUSE SIX FEETIS A LOT MOREDISTANCE THAN YOUWOULD HAVETYPICALLY SEENBETWEEN TABLES INA RESTAURANT,"BUT RESTAURANTOWNERS ARESTAYING POSITIVE -KEEPING IN MINDTHAT RESTAURANTSIN CONNECTICUTANDMASSACHUSETTSWENT TO 100PERCENT CAPACITY."HOPEFULLY WE CANBE AT 100 PERCENTBY SUMMER.

I THINK- LIKE MOSTRESTAURANTEURS -IT'S CRITICAL INWESTERN NEWYORK THAT WE HAVEA FULL SUMMER,"IN EAST AURORA,AE, 7 EWN.