Some local restaurants have decided not to reopen their dining areas right away, even though the coronavirus restrictions were lifted on Monday in surrounding counties.
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WTHR) — Some local restaurants have decided not to reopen their dining areas right away, even though the coronavirus restrictions were lifted on Monday in surrounding counties.
Debbi Bourgerie, owner of Rosie's Place Breakfast, Lunch & Bakery Shops in Zionsville, Carmel and Noblesville, said her restaurants are all about feeling that "Hoosier hospitality," which she doesn’t feel like she can accomplish at this time.
“That's what we're all about,” Bourgerie said. “That's what people miss, is their server at their table and all of us talking to them. So we said, ‘That way won't work for us.'"
So, when will Rosie’s Place reopen their dining areas?
“What we've decided to do is reevaluate every two weeks,” Bourgerie said. “Economically, of course, you would like to figure out a way to make it work, but it's also the social responsibility. I want to make sure we can keep our staff safe and continue to do that as well as for our customers when the day comes that we can open our doors.”
The last couple of months have been rough for Rosie’s Place ever since coronavirus restrictions forced Bourgerie's dining areas to close down in March.
“We hit just about what we expected,” Bourgerie said. “Our takeout business and doing curbside orders has held at about 20 percent of what we would normally do.”
All three north side Rosie’s Place locations considered several options that would have allowed them to reopen this week, but no scenario made the cut.
“We did talk about having customers come in, order at the counter and putting up plexiglass,” Bourgerie said. “They order and then take their seats, so it's minimum contact in that way. We've also discussed giving them paper menus where it's a fill in, check the box outside and having them go to a table, and then someone taking [them food]. We were trying to think of ways that you're minimizing contact.”
But nothing measured up to Rosie’s Place's traditional heartfelt interactions between staff and customers. So, Bourgerie is being patient and promising that all Rosie’s Place restaurants will be back — at some point.
“We've adapted and been able to make it work where we know that we're going to be here for the long term,” Bourgerie said.
