KICKING OFF A LABOR DAY WEEKEND
UNLIKE ANY WE HAVE EVER
EXPERIENCED.
GOOD EVENING.
WE BEGIN WITH A MAJOR MILESTONE
ON THE ROAD TO REOPENING IN NEW
JERSEY.
THE FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH,
INDOOR DINING IS ALLOWED IN
RESTAURANTS.
NICK CALLOWAY HAS MORE ON
THAT.
Reporter: RESTAURANTS LIKE
THIS ONE ARE GETTING READY FOR
A BIG NIGHT.
WITH JUST 25% CAPACITY INSIDE,
THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE
EATING OUTSIDE THAN IN FOR THE
FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH 16, FOOD
AND DRINKS ARE BEING SERVED TO
CUSTOMERS INSIDE NEW JERSEY
RESTAURANTS.
PLASTIC BARRIERS SEPARATE
BOOTHS AS PEOPLE COME BACK
INSIDE.
BUT BEING LIMITED TO 25%
CAPACITY MEANS ONLY 35
CUSTOMERS INSIDE.
IT'S NOT A GOOD DAY.
I THINK RESTAURANTS CAN OPERATE
AT 25%.
AT 100%, A LOT OF RESTAURANTS
STRUGGLE TO MAKE IT.
Reporter: STILL, 25% IS
BETTER THAN 0. BUT JUST BECAUSE
RESTAURANTS CAN RESUME INDOOR
DINING DOESN'T MEAN THEY ALL
WILL.
DOWN THE STREET FROM THE DINER,
THIS ONE IS STICKING WITH
OUTDOOR FOR NOW.
THEY CITE THE WEATHER AND THE
COMFORT LEVEL OF THEIR CUSTOMER
CUSTOMERS.
SOME CUSTOMERS PLAN TO STICK
WITH OUTDOOR DINING RIGHT NOW.
OTHERS COULDN'T WAIT TO GO
INDOORS.
SHE PREFERS INSIDE.
THIS IS WONDERFUL TO ME.
OPENING BACK UP.
I THOUGHT WITH ONLY 25%
CAPACITY, AT THIS POINT, IT
WILL BE KIND OF SAD INSIDE.
THERE'S PROBABLY MORE ENERGY
AND MORE LIFE GOING ON OUTSIDE
RIGHT NOW.
Reporter: AT RIVER PALM
TERRACE IN EDGE WATER, SOME ARE
SPACED SIX FEET APART AND SOME
OUT OF USE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
STATE GUIDELINES.
GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY SENT A
WARNING TO BUSINESS OWNERS TO
TAKE THE RESTRICTIONS
SERIOUSLY.
THE LIMITS WE HAVE PLACED ON
CAPACITIES WE HAVE PUT IN
PLACE, ARE NOT KIND
SUGGESTIONS.
THEY ARE MANDATED AND REQUIRED.
WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY
VIOLATIONS AND WE WILL NOT BE
AFRAID TO COME DOWN HARD AND
MAKE AN EXAMPLE FOR THOSE WHO
THINK THE RULES DON'T APPLY TO
THEM.
Reporter: THERE'S A
LINGERING FEAR OF OPENING UP
AND HAVING TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN.
TRAVIS YOUNG, THE OWNER OF THE
REGION CAFE IN HOBOKEN IS AMONG
THEM.
WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT
THING.
WE HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY ASK SO
THE NUMBERS CAN STAY DOWN.
SO WE CAN GET MORE INSIDE.
Reporter: DUE TO CAPACITY,
AND POPULARITY, A LOT OF
RESTAURANT OWNERS PLAN TO KEEP
THE OUTDOOR DINING SETUPS IN
PLACE.
THAT IS AT LEAST UNTIL THE
WEATHER TURNS COLD.
