COVID Reopening: Bay Area Restaurants Prep For Weekend Outdoor Dining Crowds Despite Cold, Wet Weather
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Despite cold and damp conditions, Bay Area restaurants anticipate a rush of diners this weekend seeking to enjoy outdoor dining for the first time since the COVID-19 stay-at-home order was lifted.
"It's going to be busy," said Nick Liang, who owns Uncle Yu's in Livermore. Liang told KPIX 5 he is ready to welcome the rush.
"We've got all the heaters lit up, so that we have a warm kind of environment," he said.
Meanwhile in San Francisco, which resumed outdoor dining on Thursday, it's the calm before the weekend dining storm.
"It totally changes the street life especially in the early evening when these are open," said one San Francisco diner.
The weather this week has posed a bit of a challenge for restaurants preparing for the reopening of outdoor dining.
"According to the fire marshal we can't have heaters underneath the tents," said Andres Moreno, who owns Azul restaurant in Livermore. So that's why we started to take them took them off hoping for it to be a little bit more sunny than rain. But right now, it's kind of backfiring on us. "
But diners don't seem to mind, they are just hungry for a dining experience away from home.
Jose Madriz who owns El Charro Restaurant said about the rain, "I got some brand new jackets and I got gear, we are fine. And a hot meal it's perfect."
As for one Livermore couple, "We kind of find it romantic. We like to get out of the house a little bit. It's the one time we choose, one time a week."