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Why the rule change won’t matter for some of them
by: Tahera Rahman
Posted: Jan 28, 2021 / 10:35 PM CST
Updated: Jan 28, 2021 / 10:35 PM CST
AUSTIN (KXAN) — There’s a little good news for Central Texas when it comes to COVID-19.
For five days now, COVID-19 patients have accounted for less than 15% of staffed beds in our hospital region.
If that continues for seven days, businesses can increase capacity to 75% again, according to the governor’s orders. Elective surgeries would also be able to resume at hospitals.
“On March 17th we were mandated to close the dining room, and since then it’s been a rollercoaster of different regulations and restrictions,” said Ashley Fric, Colleen’s Kitchen owner.
Right now, those restrictions include half capacity at businesses. It was triggered by rising hospitalizations earlier this month.
READ: COVID-19 hospitalizations trigger 50% capacity limits in Austin and surrounding areas
“Immediately we saw a major drop,” Fric said.
But for Fric, the hurt didn’t come so much from having to limit the number of customers.
“Whether the dining room is at 75% mandate or 50%, we’re always going to be operating at 50% with the other additional restrictions currently in place,” she said.
That’s things like limited bar seating and socially-distanced tables. She says the restrictions do affect consumer confidence.
“When restrictions went to 50%, even though we were operating at 50%… we saw a massive drop in guest retention, because less people were dining out. People were scared to go out, even though our capacity matched the recommendations and restrictions,” Fric said.
“We opened our patio back up. And that’s all we still do,” said Patrick Clark, Zilker Brewing Company and Taproom co-founder.
Clark says he’s operating at about 30% capacity.
“We’ve thought about opening the inside of the taproom, but we’re just not quite there yet with that that comfort level,” he said.
Still, Fric hopes moving to a 75% rule change on paper will have a positive impact.
“It’s a great sign, it means what we are doing is working and restaurants, we’re a part of that as well,” Fric said. “We also hope that when rates go up to 75% that we’re able to hopefully fill our dining room to 50% on a more regular basis.”
According to the City of Austin, there have been more than 1,500 complaints related to COVID-19 and business occupancy since last March.
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