Restaurants began Friday night to walk customers through their doors again.
“It will be a huge weight off our shoulders to welcome people indoors,” said Mount Airy Taproom owner Rob Pelszinski.
Its restaurant and bar opened in 2019, six months before the city closed its restaurants for the first time due to the spread of COVID-19 in March.
Pelszinski said his dining room and staff are ready to greet customers inside again. A heated patio and outing service helped maintain his restaurant, but that’s not enough.
“It’s hard. You do not pay rent for a restaurant where you do not sit,” Pelszinski said.
In South Philadelphia, Bridget Foy said she’s excited to show off her brand new dining room for the first time on Saturday.
SEE ALSO: Bridget Foy reopens with pop-up cafe after devastating fire
A fire destroyed Bridget Foy’s Local Bar and Kitchen in 2017.
“With 25% capacity, our tables are socially far apart. We are very fortunate to have a brand new HVAC system, so ventilation is excellent,” Foy said.
Indoor dining at restaurants in Philadelphia has been banned since Nov. 20.
On Saturday, January 16, restaurants may reopen, but they must follow strict restrictions.
SEE ALSO: Indoor meals will resume in Philadelphia on January 16, but with restrictions
They can only work with 25% capacity and have no bar seats. No more than four people can sit at the table and they have to come from the same household.
Guests must wear masks unless they are actively eating or drinking.
While restaurateurs are looking forward to reopening, they know there are challenges in convincing people to eat inside.
Pelszinski said he and his staff take all possible precautions, but he realizes that this is not necessarily enough for some customers.
This was the second ban on dining inside the pandemic so far. From March 16 to September 8, there was no dining room inside. City officials then allowed restaurants to open with a capacity of 25%, and then increased the limit to 50% on October 2 before the latest ban took effect on November 20.
Pennsylvania restaurants outside Philadelphia reopen limited-capacity indoor eateries on Jan. 4.
Restaurants must undergo a self-certification process to take up to 50% capacity, otherwise it is limited to 25%.
Philadelphia also allows other “riskier” institutions and activities to resume Saturday. Theaters and performance spaces may be reopened with a cap on the total number of participants, including staff, of a maximum of 10 people. If the maximum occupancy is unknown, allow 10 people per 1000 square feet. Everyone attending must be masked and no food or drink is allowed.
Colleges are also now allowed to resume personal lessons.
Philadelphia, along with the rest of the state, also reopened on January 4 less risky institutions such as museums, gyms and casinos.
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