Eager Diners Return To North End, Waltham Restaurants
BOSTON (CBS) - On the first Friday since restaurants were allowed to open outdoor patios, eager diners competed for a limited number of tables spaced out along Hanover Street.
It's a sign of hope for restaurant owners like John DiSimone, who says the past few months have been, "Rough. Extremely rough."
Strict social distancing guidelines are in effect to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and restaurants must adhere to increased sanitation standards. Whatever it takes to stay in business, and keep coronavirus from coming back.
"It's always a concern," DiSimone said. "We definitely don't want to have a return of the closures. That would be detrimental to everyone, so we are doing our part."
Diners seem to love the European feel, and the open air. Courtney Crawford, of Boston, said, "We wish it was like this all the time."
Masks on servers, though, are a constant reminder of how we got here. Will this happen again? "There's always that thought, kind of in the back of your head," said Boston resident Matt Wood.
Along Waltham's new-look Moody Street, there is a combination of joy and cautious optimism. Watertown resident Jarred Carter said, "Hope it's a slow start to whatever the new normal is going to be."
Tom Gallagher, of Waltham, is happy to have a change of scenery. "It's been boring, to say the least," he said.
As far as how safe he feels, Gallagher isn't too concerned with limited outdoor dining. "I'd probably be more concerned if we were inside," Gallagher said. "But I think outside fresh air, the risk is reasonable."