Town Offers Creative Solution To Indoor Dining During Pandemic

BROOKHAVEN, NY – Over the summer, many restaurants adjusted to the new coronavirus restrictions by adding additional outdoor seating. But with the cold weather approaching, many will now have to get creative and find a new way to serve customers while still following COVID-19 guidelines.

In the Town of Brookhaven, officials came up with a plan to help with the limited seating capacity issue for certain restaurants in the area during the colder months. Supervisor Ed Romaine and the town board recently announced a program that allows restaurants to stay open by using vacant space within shopping centers to be used for expanded dining.

The new town program will allow both the restaurants and their landlords in shopping centers to apply for and secure required permits for the common dining areas, similar to food courts, contingent upon Suffolk County Health Department approval.

One restaurant in town, the Take-Out Inn in Stony Brook, became the first location to receive approvals under this new program. According to town officials, the eatery complies with all Center for Disease Control (CDC) and New York State COVID-19 pandemic guidelines and has been equipped with ionized generators in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to actively purify the air, killing mold, bacteria and viruses.

The ionization process also reduces allergens, smoke and static electricity, as well as controlling odors and other particles in the air without creating ozone or any harmful byproducts. Customers inside the Take Out Inn will be able to access touchless menus by use of QR codes for Stony Brook Village Center restaurants, including Crazy Beans, Robinson’s Tea Room and Pentimento Restaurant, order their food and eat inside the heated facility.

Businesses and landlords interested in this program can contact the Brookhaven Town Planning Division at 631-451-6400.

"This is a great idea that other communities should embrace to keep restaurants open and profitable throughout the pandemic," Romaine said. "These are difficult times and government must be proactive so we can help businesses survive and keep their customers safe. With the onset of colder weather, fewer people want to dine outside."

What do you think of this program? Let us know in the comments below.