LANSING, MI (WSYM) - — Restaurant owners were smiling under their masks Monday, welcoming back customers inside for the first time in nearly three months.
But owners aren't the only ones enjoying the now open doors, in fact, customers already knew what they were ordering at El Azteca before they walked in.
"I definitely have to have the cheese dip, that is a necessary item I must have," said customer AmySue Hopkins.
Other must-haves now required for restaurants include servers having to wear masks in addition to some tables being blocked to keep seating at 50% capacity while keeping guests 6 feet apart.
Although many customers enjoyed Monday's reopening, restaurant staff are recognizing that not all are ready to go out to eat yet and are working to find their own ways to take extra precautions.
"We are constantly connecting with customers online, we expanded our outdoor seating," said Alex Sommer, who works at Leo's Coney Island.
Many restaurants are also switching to disposable menus, cleaning their laminated ones, or even offering ways to access the list of food right on your phone.
"They can bring up the menu on their phone, one less thing to touch, one less thing for us to wipe down," said Michael Krueger, owner of Crunchy's.
As restaurants adjust to this new normal with many excited to be back, others worry about how long they can survive at 50% capacity.
"There is no way for a restaurant to make money at 50%," said Krueger. "It's just not realistic to get into the business and be half full all the time so with some government assistance here and there we think we will be able to make it through but we can't wait to be back to full capacity that is for sure."
As for masks, it's not mandated by the state for customers to wear them inside before they eat, but many restaurants are requiring it.
Owners suggest you go online and check out their website for exact details about individual places' policies.
