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Some restaurants say they won't open for in-person dining on Monday

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Posted at 6:29 PM, Jan 29, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-30 16:03:55-05

(WXYZ) — Call it a tale of two restaurants. Even though indoor dining can resume Monday at 25% capacity, some business owners are weighing the pros and cons.

Some may open, while others will wait a bit more.

“This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through,” says Sheila Taylor, who has shed many tears since March.

She owns SideStreet Diner in Grosse Pointe.

Sheila has made the difficult decision to rely on carry-out only, even though indoor dining can resume Monday with restrictions that include opening at 25% capacity, with a maximum of 100 people.

Tables have to be six feet apart with no more than six diners at a table. For the diner that means only serving four tables at a time.

“At 25% capacity, it would actually cost us more money to open,” she says.

Sheila has been trying to stay positive and busy, doing puzzles with fake diners to pass time.

“Playing Yahtzee with blow-up dolls as customers because we miss our customers,” she says.

While SideStreet Diner’s dining room stays closed until the restrictions ease more, other restaurant owners are getting ready to welcome back their regulars.

Erin Meilak of Kennedy’s Irish Pub said, “Very glad that we can open up and we plan on doing it very safely, because we want to move forward.”

The family business in Waterford was on 7 Action News just a couple of weeks ago. That’s because Kennedy’s Irish Pub was featured to raise money by Barstool Sports.

The owner says she is cautiously optimistic that the worst will be soon behind them, but feels bad for other businesses who are struggling too.

Erin explained, “When there is no light at the tunnel and, even when you get to that light, it could be taken away again, it keeps getting harder to get back up again.”

“We need the community’s support. We need people to come out and help us get through this,” Sheila added.

She said if the restrictions open up indoor dining to 50% capacity, she will consider opening up for customers.

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