With Phase 2 of Manitoba’s coronavirus reopening plan underway, restaurants are now reopening dining rooms with strict new protocols, but some owners say they will only be able to operate at half capacity for so long.
Pho Hoang was supposed to open its third Winnipeg location in Osborne Village two days after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Owner Tom Hoang decided to hold off on the grand opening, thinking they’d wait until the crisis was over.
“But it took a little bit too long and we can’t wait,” Hoang said, adding he’s managed to get by the last three months by offering takeout at his two other locations.
Even at half capacity, he’s hopeful his new Osborne restaurant will do well in the village.
“Keep working,” Hoang said. “We don’t have time to worry.”
Brazen Hall Kitchen & Brewery on Pembina Highway reopened its doors on Monday.
President Kristjan Kristjansson said although the first day was slow, it gave staff time to adjust to the new workflow.
“It was interesting to see the first person walk in,” Kristjansson said. “We had a small, little fun celebration.”
Since then, Kristjansson said business has picked up, which he said is a welcome sight.
“With people walking through the door, there’s a real probability that we are going to be able to tough this out,” he said, while noting he can only survive so long at half capacity.
Given the parameters of the provincial COVID-19 safety measures, some restaurants have decided to remain closed for now.
The province’s restrictions for restaurants say that restaurants cannot go above half-capacity, and tables must be two metres apart. When this may change has not been said by provincial health officials.
Miles Gould, owner of The Grove Pub & Restaurant and The Cornerstone Bar & Restaurant, has kept his doors locked while crafting a reopening plan.
“The provincial guidelines that have been released are somewhat detailed but are still vague, so we are working hard to make our own in-house plan that covers all the bases,” Gould said in an email.
“This takes time and money we don’t have. COVID-19 signage, sanitizer, PPE are all things we never thought we’d have to build into our business plan. Ordering and receiving these key items takes time.”
Gould is hoping to open his restaurants sometime this month.
Shaun Jeffrey, executive director of the Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association, said most restaurants are now open.
About 100 of the roughly 400 restaurants represented by the association are reporting high volume numbers at half capacity, with some even matching last year’s totals, according to Jeffrey.
Still, he said, Manitoba restaurants can only hang on for so long with half the tables out of service.
“Nobody can operate a restaurant successfully at 50 per cent revenue,” Jeffrey said.
“It’s just unfortunately not possible.”