By Ethan Ready

Dining out is back

Restaurants welcome back dine-in customers

May 20, 2020 | 4:33 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – There may not have been a better way to put it.

“This is what we do for a living. We pride ourselves on being the best part of someone’s day and that’s really our goal every day,” said Dan Connelly, owner of Earls Kitchen and Bar in Prince George. “We think we have an opportunity to do that maybe more so than ever.”

On Tuesday, Phase 2 of the Province’s COVID-19 re-open plan got underway, allowing a variety of businesses to open and safely operate while following a list of strict guidelines.

For restaurants, the WorkSafeBC guidelines require restaurants to restrict tables to parties of six people maximum, and all groups must be two metres apart.

Carey-Lynn Campioni, co-owner of North 54 in Prince George, says it will be a gradual process for her and her staff.

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“We’re very lucky because it’s my husband and I that run and own the restaurant, so I don’t have to bring all of my staff back right now. We’re slowly taking it step by step, feeling how it’s going to flow and then the staff will slowly come on board.”

According to Campioni, restaurants will be responsible for conducting routine cleaning and sanitization of various common areas within the establishment, such as restroom cleanings every 30 minutes to one hour depending on customer traffic.

The dine-in experience will be quite different as well. Those plastic-coated menus are no longer for the time being. Restaurants will now turn to single-use paper menus. Even typical table settings will change. No more salt and pepper shakers. No more napkin wrapped cutlery either.

Many restaurant floorplans have also changed in order to ensure proper social distancing, which has also included downsizing their seating capacity.

With all these changes, Campioni hopes things return to normal soon.

“I think we will go be going back to normal service. I hope to, I’m fine dining so I like that personal service. I had customers in here today and I didn’t shake their cheese on their pasta, and I think they miss that.”

Campioni admits she’s a very social person and the toughest part of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on restaurants has been the current loss of her staff and customers.

Meanwhile, for Connelly at Earls, this whole situation has been an on-going learning experience, as it has been for everyone.

“The last two and a half months has been non-stop learning. From closing our doors to putting all of our food into boxes instead of onto plates to increasing distancing, changing all of our systems, to now switching to a hybrid of takeout and dine-in, the learning has been non-stop. We’ve really focused on being industry leaders.”

He admits while they’re in the business if hospitality, it’s tough to feel like you’re hospitable while wearing a mask and a face shield on, but he does understand the seriousness in ensuring his guests that they are being safe.

“All in all, we hope the excitement that we have for guests returning will be matched with hopefully the excitement that guests have in returning.”