Diners are slowly coming back to restaurants as the fall season approaches. After the “Safer at Home” order ended in May, many local restaurants have creatively used outdoor seating to offset capacity limits for inside dining rooms. A substantial increase in delivery and takeout services with online ordering has helped some restaurants pivot from the pre-COVID-19 economic model to a sustainable business. According to a survey by OpenTable.com, national restaurant-industry revenues have recovered about 25 percent of the 50 percent drop in sales in April. Jason Estes of Sonny’s Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria in Sturgeon Bay shares his plan to maximize dine-in as the weather gets colder and inside capacity, limits remain in place.
Estes adds that his and other area restaurants have taken similar measures to try and ease anxiety diners may have about eating out by implementing rigorous sanitization, personal protective equipment for employees, and installing separation between tables. He credits his staff for stepping up this summer to meet the demand since Door County was not able to employ J-1 Visa students from oversees working here.