From Columbus Business First, Women of Influence is an interview series showcasing some of the most powerful women in the Central Ohio business community. Hosted by Eleanor Kennedy, Assistant Managing Editor.
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CBF Forum: Restaurants talk the good, the bad and the rainy of reopening patios
Ohio restaurants can open up for dine-in seating Thursday.
But there’s bound to be a learning curve as operators welcome customers back in to an environment where there are new rules.
Social distancing, masks and other new processes and procedures are the new standards in place by the state, which is trying to balance reopening businesses with a hope of continued stifling of the spread of Covid-19.
Some bars and restaurants around town got a jump on the opening. Patios were allowed to open May 15 and that first weekend back in business was a learning experience for many.
Columbus Business First talked with three operators — including one that received a warning from Columbus Public Health — about what the initial plans were, what worked and what didn’t.
How did customers respond to being asked to wear masks? What did the businesses do when the clouds opened up and the rain began to fall? And, most importantly, what are the greatest concerns moving forward as customers come back for food and drinks?