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California restaurants may learn their fate this week
Governor Newsom will announce guidelines Tuesday at noon for restaurants on how and maybe even when they can safely reopen from coronavirus restrictions.
SAN FRANCISCO - Though Governor Gavin Newsom says 70% of California's economy remains open, the other parts; restaurants, entertainment, travel, leisure, malls and shopping, make us feel like everything is shut down.
On Tuesday, the governor's long-awaited announcement on the fate and future of restaurants will be revealed. It's fair to say that, for many restaurants, Tuesday will be judgment day.
With a blast from the past, the Mel's Diners on San Francisco's Geary and Lombard, are serving in-car diners in their parking lots. Sonic, a huge drive-in chain, has roller skating car hops bringing food out.
To survive, others must innovate in how they utilize their space in a safe way.
Laurie Thomas, Director of San Francisco's Golden Gate Restaurant Association wants clear guidelines with specific time frames.
"Are we gonna do it on a capacity basis? The number of people in one group. Are there gonna be masks on everybody? Customers? Are we gonna be required to test for temperature? Are we gonna be required to have plexiglas partitions?" said Thomas.
The statewide California Restaurant Association wants state guidance on five main categories, but allowing for local jurisdictions to decide how to implement them.
"The risk levels and you know the infections and the death rates are different in so many different counties," said CEO Jot Condie of the California Restaurant Association.
"And we will work with every county, with every city in a practical and responsible way," said Governor Newsom.
The guidance should include how to protect employee health and physical distancing for all. Posters should educate diners in about rules and expectations. Also, how to increase sanitization and disinfection as well as to assure that the industry is notified in advance of rule changes.
"The restaurant industry in particular needs two weeks lead time to open the doors," said Condie.
Whatever the rules will be, Thomas thinks no in-restaurant dining will take place in the core Bay Area counties until the end of May.
"We're gonna need some more relief from the Feds," said Thomas.
Thomas also said, a recent California Restaurant Association member survey indicates about 30% of the restaurants will not reopen. A James Beard Association survey of independent restaurants says only 20% believe they will make it back; 80% will not. "I anticipate it will be somewhere in the middle," said Thomas.
Restaurants that rely heavily on the convention and tourist trade, in San Francisco or outlying tourist areas and towns will get hit the hardest.
Most likely to survive, will be neighborhood places that can move tables into into parking lots and streets as San Jose is thinking.
"Particularly if we can get this outside seating I've been talking about to work to expand our capacity, we might have more of a chance with those restaurants," said Thomas.
The governor releases the guidelines Tuesday at noon.