I went to Perkins this morning.

[leftyladyfrommo]

They are open but it's fixed up really different. The tables are quite aways from each other. Disinfectant and towels on a table as you come in. A bix of gloves if you want them. Waitresses are wearing masks and gloves

It wasn't packed. Yesterday the waitress had 17 customers . This morning I think a total of 5 .



We have very few cases here in Clay County. Missouri. 2 deaths.

People here are really being pretty careful.

I hsve to say it was good to at least see some of my friends even if have to keep our distance.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I don't think I'd want to eat in a restaurant tricked out like a hospital.

And that's what they'll have to do to even appear safe (and I'm not convinced they are, no matter what they do). Restaurants aren't open yet here and I doubt I'll go when they are.

[greenjar_01]

2. It's worse when they make you wear a mask while eating!

[DavidDvorkin]

11. Just cut a hole in the mask.

[lunatica]

13. LOL!

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. It didn't look like a hospital. It just looked like

they were really trying to be safe.

They have a lot of regulars in that restaurant that are older. The waitress has been there 30 years and her daughter 19 years. They know everybody .

Now they are worried about all the Mexican restaurants up here that were packed for Cinco d Mayo.

[matt819]

4. I hate to be a nag. . .

but why did you have to go out for breakfast?

Going out for a meal should be somewhere on the fun side of the spectrum of dining out. You may have been exposed only to the waitress. But she was exposed to 17 customers. Her risk in working was 17 times greater than your risk in dining out. And while she may have been gloved, remember, she touched the tables of 17 customers, and the dishes of those 17 customers, and a ton of other surfaces throughout the restaurant. So, how much of your time was spent just wondering about the risk posed not only to the waitress, but by her. If you didn't take the gloves, were you wondering whether you should have? You couldn't have been masked, of course, because you were eating. Did a customer sneeze, or cough? How did that make you feel? Etc., etc. Yes, yes, I know that businesses can't sustain long-term, open-ended losses, and they, and their employees, have to make money. But, still, I don't think it's worth it right now.

All of that said, at least you're area doesn't seem to be like the photos I saw this morning of a restaurant in San Antonio packed to the rafters. All I can say about that is "super spreader." The next few weeks should be interesting.

Where I live has not become an epicenter of any kind. A bunch of cases, a few deaths, including one in my town. But overall we've been somewhat spared. Possibly because many people are using gloves of masks - whether willingly or not I don't know, but they're wearing them. I discovered this morning one local car parts chain is offering only curbside service. Many public-facing businesses are still closed, as are businesses with office employees. Sure, I'd love to eat out. But it's just not worth the risk right now. And I don't know when it will be worth the risk. And, yes, businesses will suffer, and that sucks. But the world has changed, and believing and behaving as if we can "go back" to whatever it is we think we want to go back to is potentially very dangerous.

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. Which restaurant in San Antonio was packed? My son works at an Applebees there

TIA.

[LeftInTX]

10. I saw some pics on the River Walk and the Pearl

Hard to say if rules were violated since there was outdoor activity too. But people looked too close.

The one place on the River Walk was Rainforest Cafe. (It is owned by Landry's who is a crony of Greg Abbott)

[matt819]

12. Can't remember.

Assumed Riverwalk but didn't read, just marvelled at how they were packed in. Photo didn't look like a chain. If I find it, I'll post.

I used to live in the area and love the food and the bbq as much as the next guy, but still won't risk my life for it.

[virgogal]

5. Lucky you----I'm in MA.,take away only.

[cwydro]

7. No, you're the lucky one. And me too.

Take out only in NC still.

No way am I going to a restaurant anytime soon.

[stopbush]

6. With that level of patronage they'll be out of business in a month.

Unless the start charging $25 for two eggs over easy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. That's the problem. I'm sure they're doing their best

under the circumstances, but restaurants operate on a pretty slim profit margin as it is, and if they have to cut their capacity significantly in order to be safe (if they are safe, really), they won't be able to stay in business very long. Their fixed costs like rent and debt will stay the same, but even if they have reduced staff and buy less food they won't be able to pay the bills without raising prices drastically, and there goes whatever business they still might have. It sucks, but for now they might be better off sticking to take-out and delivery.