Getting ready to reopen Town
Good news all… It is beginning to look like Los Angeles County restaurants will be able to reopen with limited seating sometime in the next week. Before we say anything else we need to say a BIG thank you to all of you who’ve been so faithful in ordering from Town as we have progressed through the challenges created by Covid19. In a very real way you’ve helped to keep the our restaurant alive. It is humbling to have heard so many heartfelt good wishes along the way. Your Town family doesn’t take any of this for granted. We’re preparing to reopen, and to sew our hearts into serving you as we proceed into the next phase.
Carry Out and Delivery
Carry out and delivery will continue to be a significant driver to our long term health. Reopening with limited seating is going to be very difficult and the portion of our business that involves people ordering food from Town for consumption at home will continue to be essential. (Please don’t stop!)
When Will Town Open?
Suffice it to say that we will open a couple of days after LA County provides permission and clarity of their mandated operating standards. (Right now looking like sometime next week).
What Will the Next Phase Be Like?
Limited seating
Servers wearing masks and gloves
Strict operations standards governing interaction between guests and staff
Strict operating standards around sanitization, etc. (Although frankly most of this is SOP in restaurants and has been for years).
I was worried this would feel strange until I had an opportunity to visit restaurants operating in this fashion in Texas last week. It’s a bit strange for a few minutes, but very quickly it’s just the way it is and it is forgotten and being in a restaurant is, well, being in a restaurant.
Reservations are Required
To eat at Town you will need to make a reservation through the Town website. This serves two purposes. On the reservations page you will find the most up to date rules about what you need to know before coming to Town. Whether or not you will need to wear a mask when you aren’t eating, etc., as well as the things we’re doing to protect you and our team. There will be a red button that will link you to our online reservations app.
The reason for this is to ensure we don’t have large groups waiting to be seated.
Seating Time Will Be Limited
We are requesting that parties stay as close as possible to a logical seating window. If your reservation is for two people our systems will assume you’ll be here for about an hour. This gives us 10 minutes to clean the table (now many steps) when you leave and another five to prepare for the next party. A party of four, the system will predict 1.5 hours. Larger parties logically take more time. These parameters aren’t rigid, but they’re important.
Parties Up To 10
Town can accommodate one large party (of up to Ten) on any evening. We are not going to be allowed during this phase to accommodate parties larger than 10.
Every Other Table, Initially No Bar Seating
No matter what, we know that the next phase of operation at Town will involve limited seating. Sadly (and we’re not sure why) we’re precluded from opening the bar in the initial phase. We will obviously serve cocktails, but people won’t be able to sit at the bar.
And Speaking of Menus
The regulations around the classic, restaurant reusable menus are very strict. For this reason we strongly encourage patrons to download the Town menu (which will also be available via the website) prior to your visit. We will also provide easy links at Town for you to do so. Viewing the menu on your phone will provide the best experience in your visit to Town. (We will have disposable paper menus for people who are tech-challenged!)
A Little Patience
I will freely admit that I’m “patience-challenged.” It’s a character flaw. Over the years I’ve learned that it’s a blessing and a curse. Sometimes the world needs a push. That’s the blessing part. Sometimes a push breaks things. That’s the curse part.
When we open we’re all going to need to have a little patience as we (and you) figure out how to make the next normal work best for all of us.
Honestly we’re just looking forward to seeing your smiling faces again, even if we’re just seeing your smile in your eyes.