Restaurants in Truckee are getting help with their bottom line, due to a change in California policy.
Under California's new tiered COVID system, restaurants in red tiered counties can serve people indoors as long as they operate under 25 percent capacity, or with less than 100 people. Orange and yellow tiered areas are allowed to open under 50 percent capacity. Moody's Bistro, Bar, and Beats owner JJ Morgan is keeping a positive attitude. "It's a step in the right direction. It's going to give us more seats," said Morgan.
California's changed it's COVID restrictions. Under the state's new tiered system, Truckee where Moody's operates, and towns like it in red tiered, substantial counties, qualify to open their indoor seating at 25 percent capacity. "Hopefully we as a county meet the criteria to go to the next tier. I think that next tier brings us 50 percent. We'll take everything we can get," said Morgan.
Moody's has already changed to adapt to the pandemic. Hand sanitizer is on each table, waiters wear masks, and tables are socially distanced. They've even put plexiglass up around the bar. "Restaurants throughout the country have needed to be resilient and figure stuff out. They need to react to the ongoing changes that are happening," said Morgan.
He, however, is cautiously optimistic. He's waiting until it gets colder to convert his back room from storage to a dining area. They've already prepped the outside canopy dining area with heaters. "You're a little hesitant. You tiptoe around outside dining, because they could repeal that. If they repeal that at the wrong time, then you're between a rock and a hard place," said Morgan.
Locals and visitors have mixed views on moving dining inside, even as the weather grows cold and snowy. "My preference would be to eat outside or stay at home," said California resident Anna Keaney. "I definitely would wait for medical opinions from professionals as opposed to politicians as to what is or isn't safe," said California resident Conner Nannini. "Inevitably this is what the restaurants are going to have to do to stay afloat. This is what they are going to have to do," said California resident Emily Ramey.
Under the state's new tiered system, purple tiered areas on the map, where the virus is hitting hardest, would not qualify for restaurant capacity changes.
