Princeton Restaurants Reopen Amid Pandemic Uncertainty

PRINCETON, NJ — After six months of being shut due to the coronavirus, the Princeton restaurant industry is excited to welcome patrons back indoors. But the celebration is a subdued one, as seating limitations and an uncertain future loom large.

In late August, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that restaurants across the state can reopen indoor dining with 25 percent capacity, beginning Sep 4. With this announcement, many popular establishments began to piece together their reopening plans.

Read More Here: Gov. Murphy: NJ Indoor Dining To Resume Amid Coronavirus Crisis

Winberie’s in Palmer Square reopened Tuesday after being shut for six months. While many restaurants offered outdoor dining or curbside pickup to stay afloat, Winberie’s remained closed for the entire duration of the lockdown.

“We are right on the corner of Palmer Square. There was no opportunity for us to do outdoor dining. So, we just waited patiently for Gov. Murphy’s orders,” said Michael Cole, VP operations. The restaurant had put together a "reopening playbook" back in May, containing state and CDC guidelines. All staff have been trained to work under these new rules, said Cole.

The Peacock Inn on Bayrad Lane set up outdoor dining at their courtyard and patio during the past few months. They have now reopened indoor dining as well. “We have marked tables off that we cannot use. We also have French doors and fresh circulating air. All our staff wear gloves, masks and use hand sanitizers,” said Michael Scibilia, the general manager.

Chez Alice, the little patisserie at Palmer Square, is now allowing patrons to sit indoors. They have five tables, each seating only two guests. But they mostly serve to-go orders.

At Witherspoon Grill, staff got back to reopening indoor dining on Tuesday with 25 percent capacity.

“For us that is about 35 guests. We have tables set up inside but no bar area yet, but we have been doing our high-top tables outside as a "bar" area. The inside tables are first-come, first-served as they are usually the last to be seated — guests still seem more comfortable outside,” said Danielle DiTaranto from Witherspoon Grill

For many restaurants, the stop-gap measures during the lockdown have worked until now - whether it’s outdoor dining, curbside pickup, or delivery. But with fall officially here and winter fast approaching, restaurants might have a new problem at hand.

DiTaranto said guests at Witherspoon Grill preferred outdoor seating due to fear of the virus. But that could change soon. “We believe once it continues to get colder more guests will want to sit inside, as we will have heaters,” she said.

But at just 25 percent capacity, accommodating more patrons is a challenge and restaurants are wondering if the math would work to break even.

“Our profit margins are so small to begin with, and now they handcuff us with limited capacity. But it is what it is at this point, and we're just going to make the best of it. We have to do things operationally to keep our business afloat,” said Cole, from Winberie’s.

Twenty-five percent capacity lets restaurants regain a fraction of their pre-pandemic business, but it’s not enough to break even. Add to that the responsibility of navigating regulations during a pandemic, something they don't have control over.

“That’s our biggest concern now. We are doing well outdoors, but once we move indoors exclusively, I’m not sure what to expect. And I think that’s the question all restaurants are grappling with,” said a spokesperson from Mediterra, at Palmer Square.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns of an ominous fall season, Scibilia wonders if patrons would be enthusiastic to return indoors. “Once we go into cold weather, people may get leery and go back to being extra cautious. We might see a slowdown,” he said.

But many understand that a full dining room is not an option right now. “At 25 percent we're going to be able to have a pretty good footprint inside a restaurant, and then hopefully get to 50 percent. We are keeping positive and hoping for the best,” said Cole.

“We are taking it all day-by-day and learning as we go — just making sure to keep our guests happy, safe and comfortable,” said DiTaranto.

This could be a high-stakes time for Princeton’s hospitality industry, as restaurants are not built to function and bring in profits at a limited capacity. But for many restaurants, remaining closed is not an option.

"Sales and profits are always a concern with capacity limitations in place especially moving into what is typically our busiest season. We hope the restaurants in the Square will take full advantage of the outdoor spaces as long as the weather will permit,” said Lori Rabon, Vice President of Palmer Square and Nassau Inn.

Here is a list of restaurants offering indoor dining:

• Winberies
• The Peacock Inn
• The Alchemist & Barrister
• Mediterra
• Witherspoon Grill
• Yankee Doodle Tap Room
• Elements
• Agricola

If you would like your restaurant to be included, please email sarah.salvadore@patch.com.

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