WACO, TX — Some restaurants reopened their doors today at 25 percent capacity. But is that a safe enough distance to keep you safe?
Guests at George's on Hewitt say yes.
"We don't want to be stuck in our houses we want to go out, we want to enjoy life," says guest Scott Wiese.
Even the staff says they're ready to get back to business.
"It gives a lot of people and customers a sense of normalcy," says George's worker Kristen Leist.
Restaurants like George's aren't taking chances and are implementing safety protocols to protect patrons from COVID-19.
"We clean all day, someone is constantly cleaning something," says Leist.
"if we don't have customers we don't have restaurants, we want to get the customers out here and we're willing to do whatever we can to make them feel comfortable in this space," Kyle Citrano, one of the owners of George's and a board member with the Texas Restaurant Association says
Citrano says when you go out to dine, check to see if staff is wearing masks or gloves. Otherwise, monitor how often they're washing their hands.
Next, make sure restaurant workers are cleaning not just tables, but chairs and common surfaces, as health experts say COVID-19 can sit on surfaces anywhere from hours to days.
The TRA also recommends that restaurant staff undergo daily health screenings before their shift in their Texas Restaurant Promise.
"If you have all the steps in place to secure people's health and safety, I think people will come out and things will get back to normal," says Wiese.
So what can you do to stay safe?
Bring some hand sanitizer and don’t forget your mask.
You’ll need to take it off when you eat, so make sure you are seated at least 6 feet from other guests.
"At the same time, there's a promise from the guests to make sure that they're doing their safe steps when they come to the restaurant...to make sure if they're having symptoms of COVID... to not come into the restaurant," says Citrano.
If you're feeling ill, Citrano suggests getting your food delivered or use pick-up and curbside services to prevent any possible spread.
Restaurants also undergo regular health inspections, those scores are listed on the Health Department's Website, to better help you decide which place is safest.
