Jacksonville Beach: Restaurants reopen dining rooms with additional safety measures

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Local restaurants navigated new guidelines when dining rooms reopened, Monday, for the first time during the pandemic.

The dishes at Penman Diner looked the same but change was obvious all over the restaurant.

Owner Mervan Kizgin said, “It feels like the day that we first opened – it’s so exciting.”

He said it was difficult for a month and a half because of the coronavirus.

Even though the grills were going for takeout and delivery, business took at 60% hit.

“Customers, they were impatient, they wanted to come – the staff wanted to work,” explained Kizgin.

Action News Jax reported when Mayor Lenny Curry outlined requirements for restaurants reopening their dining rooms.

Guidelines included:

• Operating at 25% capacity inside
• Separating tables outside 6 feet
• Not allowing groups larger than 10 people

Customers told Action News Jax they were okay with the rules.

Rosa Marie Shipley said, “Because of the social distancing and the way they have it set up in there, it’s really nice.”

Penman Diner took safety measures a step further – sanitizing menus, setting up social distancing signs and offering hand sanitizer.

Kizgin said, “We want to make sure everyone is safe first. We don’t want to go back to 100% just yet, just slowly step-by-step. We’ll see where it goes.”

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