Restaurants welcome customers back after reopening

Restaurant owners were smiling under their masks Monday, welcoming back customers inside for the first time in nearly three months.

YOU CAN ONCE AGAIN SIT DOWN ANDEAT AT A RESTAURANT... OR HAVEA BEER AT A BAR HERE INMID-MICHIGAN.BUT THE FACT PEOPLE CAN ....DOESN'T MEAN THEY AUTOMATICALLYWILL -- ESPECIALLYRIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.FOX 47'S NICOLE BUCHMANN LOOKSAT WHAT OWNERS ARE DOING TO HELPPEOPLEOVERCOME THEIR RELUCTANCE.HERE IN EAST LANSING...RESTAURANT OWNERS ARE SMILINGUNDER THEIR MASKSTODAY...WELCOMING BACK CUSTOMERSINSIDE...FOR THE FIRST TIME INNEARLY THREE MONTHS.NOW THAT THEY ALLOWED US TOREOPEN WE ARE EXCITED TO DO IT.CUSTOMERS ALSO PARTAKING IN THEEXCITEMENT...ALREADY KNOWINGWHAT THEY WEREORDERING AT EL AZTECA BEFORETHEY WALKED IN.I DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE THECHEESE DIP...THAT IS A NECESSARYITEM I MUST HAVE.ALSO 'MUST HAVES' INRESTAURANTS...MASKS ON SERVERSSOME TABLES BLOCKED TO KEEPSEATING AT 50% CAPACITY WHILEKEEPING GUESTS SIX FEET APART.HAND SANITIZER AT MULTIPLEDIFFERENT STATIONS..TO MAKE SURECUSTOMERS FEEL SAFE.ALTHOUGH MANY ENJOYING TODAY'SREOPENING..RESTAURANT STAFF ARE RECOGNIZINGTHAT NOT ALL ARE READY TO GO OUTTO EAT OUT YET....AND AREFINDING THEIR OWN WAYS TO TAKEEXTRA PRECAUTIONS.WE ARE CONSTANTLY CONNECTINGWITH CUSTOMERS ONLINE...WEEXPANDED OUR OUTDOORSEATINGWE LOVE THE PATIO...I FEEL LIKETHE PATIO IS THE SAFEST WAY TOGO RIGHT NOW.MANY RESTAURANTS SWITCHING TODISPOSABLE MENUS...CLEANINGTHEIR LAMINATED ONES... OR EVENOFFERING WAYS TO ACCESS THE LISTOF FOOD RIGHT ON YOUR PHONE.THEY CAN BRING UP THE MENU ONTHEIR PHONE...ONE LESS THING TOTOUCH..ONE LESS THING FOR US TOWIPEDOWN.RESTAURANTS ADJUST TO THIS NEWNORMAL AND ARE EXCITED TO BEBACK...BUT MANY WORRY HOW LONG THEY CANSURVIVE AT 50% CAPACITY.THERE IS NO WAY FOR A RESTAURANTTO MAKE MONEY AT 50%.

ITS JUSTNOT REALISTIC TO GET INTO THEBUSINESS AND BE HALF FULL ALLTHE TIME SO WITH SOME GOVERNMENTASSISTANCE HERE AND THERE WETHINKWE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE ITTHROUGH BUT WE CANT WAIT TO BEBACK TO FULL CAPACITY THAT ISFOR SURE.AS FOR MASKS...ITS NOT MANDATED BY THE STATEFOR CUSTOMERS TO WEAR...BUT MANYRESTAURANTS ARE REQUIRING IT.OWNERS ARE SUGGESTING YOU GOONLINE AND CHECK OUT THEIRWEBSITE FOR EXACT DETAILS ABOUTINDIVIDUAL PLACES' POLICIESIN EAST LANSING, NICOLEBUCHMANN, FOX 47 NEWSRESTAURANT OWNERS ARE ALSOASKING CUSTOMERS TO HELP MAKETHESE NEWPOLICIES GO SMOOTHER.THEY'RE ALSO ASKING FORPATIENCE.THEY SAY... YOUR FOOD MAY TAKELONGER TO PREPARE... BECAUSETHERE ARE EX