As restaurants begin reopening their doors,
there is a lot to consider.
With social distancing guidelines,
can they do enough business
to make it make sense financially?
Megan Alexander has a look at all the things
that must be considered.
Interested in eating out?
Prepare to get a quick medical checkup first.
We actually have added a new position,
essentially, we've got a symptom checker.
So it's someone that stands at the door
and everyone who walks in,
all of our guests who walk in the building,
we have to ask them several questions.
Questions such as--
Have you been in close contact
with a confirmed case of COVID-19?
No.
No, okay. No.
Have you had fever in the last 48 hours?
I have not.
Here at the just reopened Puffy Muffin
in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Owner Kristi Stone is following new state guidelines.
Give me your tongue. The restaurant's
waitresses and cooks
have their temperature taken when they report for work.
Services are sanitized
and seating is limited to 12 tables,
half the normal capacity.
It's so nice to see you.
This is the lunch rush at 50% capacity.
You can see every other table is being used.
The owner tells the wait staff to keep their social distance
and they are politely encouraging the patrons
to only stay 45 minutes.
Maintaining social distancing also presents unique problems.
We bring the food and we set it down in front of them,
doing our best to stay as far apart.
There's no way you can be six feet apart from someone
and serve them food.
Okay, Megan, since we're going in the kitchen,
got a mask for you. Sure, okay.
And then gloves that you can put on.
All right.
And everybody's wearing these?
Everyone.
It's not just a guideline, it's a requirement.
In the busy kitchen,
social distancing can be tough.
They've got to work alongside each other
and grab stuff to make sandwiches,
so it's challenging for sure.
Kristi says, running her business
at only 50% capacity is a challenge financially.
I can't imagine that we can sustain this
for more than a few more months.
(dramatic music)