This week on Nation's Restaurant News, California released a set of guidelines that restaurants should follow before resuming dine-in services. “The guidelines we put out provide more flexibility than I believe some other states,” he said. “What we want is physical distancing.” Bars, however, are not part of the state's current reopening phase.
Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO Brian Niccol addressed reopening dining rooms. In a letter sent to customers, Niccol addressed the brand’s position on supporting local farmers, reopening stores to dine-in operations, and extending bonus pay for restaurant workers. “Getting back to the way of life and business we’re accustomed to consists of a gradual process that will take time and may differ based on the U.S. state or county where you live,” Niccol said in the letter. “We’re going to take steady, careful steps informed by local governments and public health officials to reopen our restaurant dining rooms. There is no official timeline that we can share at the moment.”
In an exclusive video interview with businessman Mario Marovic, who owns 11 restaurants and bars in Orange County, Calif., he talks about the challenges of reopening his venues, even after getting a PPP loan. While Marovic says he’s ready to reopen his restaurants, he also talks about the trouble of rehiring furloughed workers. “It has nothing to do with the [fears of] coronavirus,” said Marovic. “Some people are enjoying the unemployment benefits.”
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