ROANOKE, Va – As the restrictions placed on restaurants because of the coronavirus could soon be lifted, some Roanoke business owners said the demand for dine-in meals remains low.
Phase 2 allows dining at 50% indoor capacity, but some restaurants in Roanoke’s Grandin Village are sticking to takeout only.
“We’ve been here 17 years and we were working and having the best year ever,” said Grace Niday, the owner of Grace’s Place Pizza.
This week, she decided her restaurant would be doing carry-out only.
Niday said the demand for dine-in business just isn’t there yet.
“It’s just too many changes you have to keep people informed about what we are doing, change the schedule, change the way we are doing business, so it gets a little confusing for the costumers too,” Niday said.
Just down the street from Grace’s, is Farmburgesa, which opened earlier this year and is also choosing to stick to carryout only.
“It’s definitely been hard not to be able to open and take care of our guests,” said Farmburgesa co-owner Jimmy Delgado.
Delgado said he faces the same issues as Niday, not enough demand to fill the dining room.
“Even though we were able to open at 50% capacity as a restaurant, the business wasn’t there yet,” explained Delgado.
Both restaurant owners agree they want to do everything they can to keep their costumers, staff and themselves safe.
“It’s been tough. We are just adapting to it everyday, trying to do the best we can,” Niday said.
Both restaurants said they plan on staying carryout only for the foreseeable future but are taking direction from the governor’s office.