LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A big day for restaurants across the state as the option to open in-restaurant dining is now on the table.
Restaurant owners say they are ready to get back to business as usual.
“We’re excited to see our regulars and get our guest back,” said Tommy Keet the owner of Tazikis.
It’s a different style of restaurant opening for Keet.
“We are just going to take it that extra mile that customers feel that the environment they are in is very clean and very sterile,” said Keet.
Phase one of the Governors reopening plan allowing in-room dining but on a limited basis, only 33% capacity, which surprisingly people were taking advantage of at this location even with the new precautions like plexiglass shields and sanitation station.
“We even have timers set up where every time they go off we are going to hit every door handle every restaurant door handle,” said Keet.
You will see socially distanced tables at the restaurant Homers and new sanitary measures. Owner David Connell showed us everything even down to a tooth pick holder.
“We are giving them paper menus and we discard them and we are making sure we wipe down everything and make sure it is all clean,” said Connell.
But with the limited capacity business is not as usual but both restaurant owners hope they can get back to their typical hustle and bustle eventually.
“Time will tell we will see. I think it will get better and hopefully, we can pass this phase one as quick as we can,” said Connell.
And not every restaurant decided to go all in and open today. Some hot spots like Big Orange and Local Lime are waiting to re-open. Many restaurants have set those re-opening dates for later this week or next Monday.