Lansing Restaurant Owners Worry About Colder Weather
It was pretty chilly over the weekend, but I still found myself eating outside both Saturday and Sunday. Friday I was at a restaurant in Brighton with friends, and it was 56 degrees as I was eating my soup and steak. Saturday was a bit warmer at Leo's Lodge as I ate my BLT.
Outdoor seating has been more important than ever because of the pandemic. Because of social distancing guidelines and capacity limits, patios and other outdoor dining options were the only way some restaurants were able to stay afloat. Outdoor dining won't be an option for long, though, because summer is on the way out and cold weather is almost here.
WLNS reports that Michael Wong, owner of Fleetwood Diner, said this about the loss of outdoor dining:
I know what losing half the seating capacity does to a business and it’s not easy. This is the first time that we’ve ever encountered a situation like this and it, you know, we’re pretty much trying to figure it out as we go.
I think it so important to support our local restaurants. As long as we are all staying six feet apart and wearing our masks until we get to the tables and whenever we get up, it's pretty low-risk to go out to eat.
Even though patios will have to close and that may impact restaurants' business, the good news is that there is always delivery and carry out. Hopefully between that and the limited indoor seating, restaurants will be able to hold on until the coronavirus is under control enough to remove some of the restrictions or until the patios are able to open up again.