SANFORD, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stay-at-home order for Florida ends April 30.
- Restaurants in Seminole County prepare to welcome back diners
- Until then they are awaiting for guidance from the state
- Gov. DeSantis' stay-at-home order ends April 30
Seminole County restaurants now want to know if they can have dine-in customers on May 1.
There hasn’t been many perks for Cafe Perks owners Danielle Rose and Robert Williams since they bought the Sanford business three months ago.
“Oh man," co-owner Robert Williams said, while sitting in an empty dining room "We was doing so well and then the coronavirus hit and swoop straight downhill."
Reopening on May 1 following the governor’s stay at home order is no guarantee, according to the county.
“The facts are we really don’t know," Seminole County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Jay Zembower said. "Until the governor gives us that information with what his order is then we will have to work with in those parameters.“
The restaurant holds 91 diners on a busy day. In addition to taking out tables, the owners are ready to lose some bar stools to adhere to social distancing.
“There’s only five there (at the counter) and our regular customers like to all sit together and talk to each other," Cafe Perks co-owner Danielle Rose said. "They’ll all talk to each other across the counter, but that will get broke down to two people.”
What these business owners want to hear now is what they can do to possibly open their doors and welcome back their diners.
“If we see a situation where we are able to put an occupancy scenario in place that best fits our community they we would certainly do so,” Rose said.
According to the two owners who are engaged to one another, at the rate of business they are doing now they can only afford to stay open for three more months.
Not exactly the perks a business owner would like to have during this time.
Cafe Perks of Sanford also says they are prepared to close off sections to limit seating capacity, as well as make sure everyone in the kitchen wears masks and gloves at all times.
Servers will also have to be aware of social distancing when near customers.