Head of Arizona restaurant group says Ducey’s reopening date is manageable
Apr 30, 2020, 11:07 AM | Updated: 1:20 pm
(Getty Images Photo/ Mario Tama)
(Getty Images Photo/ Mario Tama)
PHOENIX – The leader of the Arizona Restaurant Association said Thursday that while Gov. Doug Ducey’s plan to reopen dining rooms in a few weeks was ambitious, it was achievable.
“I believe a majority of our restaurants, with proper guidance in the tool they need to utilize for reopening, are comfortable opening in a couple of weeks,” Steve Chucri, president and CEO of the Arizona Restaurant Association, said on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show.
Ducey announced Wednesday he was extending his stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the coronavirus until May 15, but that he would be meeting with restaurant leaders next week to solidify their arrangements.
He targeted May 12 for restaurants to slowly begin going back to normal service.
There are more than 9,000 restaurants in the state, Chucri said.
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“There are varying views (of relaunch date). Some of my members would love to open tomorrow, others want to have a wait-and-see approach, others are fine with just doing to-go orderings,” he said.
“The governor did say it was an ambitious goal but I believe he’s looking at the science behind this and that the science and wisdom coupled together will allow us to open in a few weeks.”
Chucri said Arizona was watching how other states were handling reopening.
“We’re gleaning from them: What are you seeing by way of customer coming back to your dining room? How is this going to juxtapose a casual-dining restaurant to fine-dining to fast-casual?” Chucri said.
Restaurants have been offering delivery and takeout options only since mid-March. Employees have been let go and the supply chain has been affected.
There are a lot of moving parts, he said.
“We have to make sure we will be able to accommodate and protect the customers … and we will be.”
Preparing for the return includes making staffing decisions.
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“Some of our employees are making more with the generosity of workers’ compensation than they were in a restaurant,” Chucri said.
“While we support our teams members, they’re like family to us, that has kind of turned things upside down.”
He and other restaurateurs also have to determine how many workers to bring back.
“You have to fill the demand – how many people are going to be coming into dining rooms – is it going to be 50%, 30%, 40%? Those are all the things we are figuring out now.”
Arizona health officials reported Thursday there were now 7,648 positive tests for the virus and 320 deaths.
