Indoor dining is back in the fold for some restaurants in Hillsborough Township
Ever since Gov. Phil Murphy allowed establishment to open indoor dining services at low capacity on Sept. 4, six restaurants in that location are currently providing indoor dining services to resident.
Old Man Rafferty's Restaurant was ready to go last weekend. According to the restaurant's General Manager Matt Hyland, Old Man Rafferty's is able to seat 30 tables at six feet apart in its dining room area.. The restaurant also has 30 tables spaced outside on its patio and front lawn that has helped the establishment to do good business in the past summer he said, which Began on June 15.
Hyland said the restaurant has always been filled to capacity starting from 5 p.m. in the early evening, with residents coming out to eat and enjoy the outdoor bar experience. He said "outdoor dining has been very outstanding, our patio has been full each night. Because people have become very comfortable to eat outside. We are very grateful to be able to seat 30 tables outside and serve many customers."
The first few days of indoor dining for Old Man Rafferty's has been slow however, Hyland stated. Outdoor dining, on the other hand, was very strong. Hyland hopes that as word gets out about the restaurant providing indoor services and with COVID-19 numbers slowing down more people feel more comfortable coming out for indoor dining.
A big part of Old Man's Raffert's success this summer the way Hyland saw it was the support they got from the town and the Hillsborough Business Association (HBA). Newsletters gotten daily from HBA Advocate David Kois and the permits given out from the Hillsborough Township Planning and Zoning Department really help boost the restaurant, Hyland said.
Kois and the HBA worked very hard since the announcement from the governor on indoor dining and sending out information to all restaurants in that location for all their owners to know what is required to offer services to customers. Along with his daily newletter, Kois also promotes what services each restaurant is providing currently on the HBA guide to Hillsborough Restaurant page. The availability of Indoor dining is something Kois believes will help smaller restaurants in that location that don't have the space available to them where they are located to offer outdoor dining.
Kois is also happy for the larger eateries in the town that have been anticipating reopening indoor dining for the past few months. "I know a couple of places are very excited to be open up for indoor dining," He said. "The HBA is sharing any rules and information we can on indoor dining to the restaurants. We're here for them and also excited for their starting up indoor dining."
Also, Family Mexican Grill, a mom-and-pop type restaurant in town, has also begun indoor accommodations.
Melanie Jiminez, the daughter of the restaurant's owner Sergio Jimenez, said they have set up three tables areas that are separated by a wooden barrier. Not more than three people can sit at a table and a maximum amount of people in the restaurant at the time is 10 she said.
The restaurant has two tables positioned outside for outdoor dining. Melanie said that most of the restaurant's business during the epidemic was delivered through takeout and delivery and that, that what kept them busy the last six months.
Since providing outdoor dining and also recently indoor dining services, the restaurant has seen old customers begin to come back to dine at the establishment, she said.