Local restaurant owners are responding to a new round of restrictions in the wake of increasing coronavirus infection rates.
New York state designated most of Monroe County as a yellow zone on Monday. Among other things, this limits restaurant seating to four people per table.
Kelly Bush, president of the Rochester Chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association, said this will be especially difficult for small venues.
Bush, who owns the Marshall Street Bar and Grill, worries about the possible unintended consequences of another new restriction -- a midnight closing time.
She said that could mean people will move on to house parties or other unregulated locations.
"We know what we're doing," said Bush. "We follow the guidelines, and once people start partying at other places, that's where the masks come off and then the restrictions aren't followed."
Bush is concerned that the current restrictions won't work to stem the rise in community spread of COVID-19 and Monroe County will advance to an orange zone.
That would restrict restaurants to outdoor dining only. With winter coming, she said that would be devastating for the industry.
"Basically, it would be takeout," she added, "which is not sustainable for a restaurant."
Chuck Cerankosky, the co-owner of Good Luck, Cure, Lucky's and the Jack Rabbit Club in Rochester, believes the new limitations are a reasonable response to the climbing infection rates.
Cerankosky said his establishments were already closing around midnight, and dining has been trending toward smaller groups anyway.
"Calling back the reservations that were made before the restrictions that are of a size that exceeds four people is really just a dozen phone calls or so," he said. "It's not a complete upending of the business model."
Cerankosky said he and his management team were already concerned as they watched the COVID-19 rate increase among young adults around Halloween.
He said they spoke to staff members about remembering to practice safety guidelines outside of work. So far, he said not a single employee has tested positive for the virus.
The hospitality industry, Cerankosky said, has to do its part to end the pandemic.
"If you're a restaurateur out there, or a bar owner," he said, "do what the state asks and let's try to get through this so we can get it over with."
