AUSTIN, Texas — Phase three of reopening in Texas started on Friday, June 12, and for restaurants, that means they are now allowed to have up to 75% capacity inside.
Although, there are some changes for restaurants as they reopen.
"The first thing that's changed that we implemented is we've moved the host stand outside," explained the owner of The Peached Tortilla, Eric Silverstein. "Once inside, you'll notice we've removed quite a few of our tables. Well, we're trying to stick to the 6-foot guidelines, keep people 6 feet apart, so my GM has come in and measured everything to make sure it's 6 feet apart.
That's just one of the guidelines the state has laid out. Parties also have to be smaller than 10 people at any table. They're encouraging contactless payment and the tables will be empty when you get in as opposed to having silverware, plates and condiments.
"Typically, a table would be set, we'd have shared condiments like sriracha, gochujang or Chinese barbecue sauce," said Silverstein.
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Employees also have new guidelines from the state, like extra sanitation, being taught the signs of the virus and staying home if they're sick.
"We're relying on our employees to be safe for their employee's benefit," said Silverstein.
As of Friday, they're still closed for dine-in but plan to reopen on Tuesday.
"It's not opening back up like, 'We're back baby.' It's reopening, but it's reopening under very different circumstances," he said.
They're hoping that these changes will make things safer.
"So I hope the public understands that restaurants are taking this lightly and they're trying to making changes to make the public feel safer," he added.
You can find more guidance on what guests and employees need to know here.
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