NEW ORLEANS — On Saturday, many New Orleans business owners opened their doors for the first time in months.
With “stay-at-home” orders lifted, city gyms and stores are able to reopen under strict guidelines.
Restaurants are also able to offer dine-in services, but there are tight restrictions. In Louisiana, restaurants are now able to operate at 25% occupancy. They must also follow social distancing and sanitation protocols.
In New Orleans, the same rules apply but restaurants are also required to take customers’ names and information for contact tracing.
On Magazine Street, Slim Goodies Diner and Dat Dog owners tell us they’re following guidelines. Both restaurants have also installed barriers between booths to keep customers and employees safe.
Slim Goodies Diner owner, Deborah Schumacher, was happy to see customers at her restaurant again. She served them inside and on her outdoor patio.
“I realized today how much I missed people” she said. “The conversations, the one-on-one, even if I can only spend three minutes at a table. Those people and that interaction change my energy.”
Slim Goodies Diner, Dat Dog, and so many other restaurants are now coming up with creative ways to ensure their staff and customers are safe and comfortable. It’s not easy, but it’s one step closer to normalcy.
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