For the Southside Diner on Main Street in Mount Vernon, the new wave of COVID-19 cases has been like someone flipped a switch on business.
“We are assuming people are just afraid,” shift manager Kelly Haist told the Mount Vernon News. “Either afraid or maybe just angry.”
With COVID-19 cases soaring, Gov. Mark DeWine on Nov. 11 imposed new rules, including a mandate that all businesses post mask-requirement signs at entrances. On Nov. 19, the governor imposed a curfew that prohibits in-person dining after 10 p.m.
Before the state’s third wave of cases, business was slowly getting back to normal, Haist said.
“We were starting to build back up again, even though our capacity was not at full strength,” she said. “For the past couple of weeks, we haven’t been that busy. When you expect a rush, you don’t get it. And when you do get it, the rushes are much smaller than they had been. It was almost like a light switch.”
A sign at the door informs customers that they must wear masks. Customers usually comply, although some grumble.
“They’re angry at the governor,” Haist said. “But they are willing to do it— or just not come out. They just choose to stay home.”
The restaurant obviously can’t require customers to wear masks while they are eating.
“Our rules are if you are away from your table you should have your mask on," Haist said.
Customers receive a gentle reminder if they get up from the table to go to the restroom or leave without wearing their masks.
“We’re very civil about it,” Haist said. “We understand their frustrations, and they understand that we are also frustrated. I feel like everyone tries to work together.”
Although takeout orders have increased, they are not sufficient to sustain the business if it has to close its doors again.
Restaurants support the state’s efforts to curb the spike in cases, the Ohio Restaurant Association said in a news release.
“We believe the 21-day slowdown and curfew is the right step at the right time to enlist all Ohioans in the fight against the spread of coronavirus and the associated strain it puts on our health care system,” the association said.
It also urged Congress to provide another round of financial stimulus for small businesses, many of which are “on the brink” of permanently closing.
We appreciated the Paycheck Protection Program passed this spring, but that was eight weeks of help for a crisis that is now eight months long and is not over yet,” the association said. “Congress needs to put partisan politics aside, come together, and act now to help the many small businesses that are losing hope.”
