Rock City Grill co-owner Jim Rhoades
YOUNG KWAK PHOTO
COVID-19
Winter’s Waiting Game Local restaurants struggle as chilly weather and COVID-19 continue to keep diners away BY CHEY SCOTT
P
eople’s general feelings about dining outdoors in the middle of winter, in the middle of a deadly pandemic, are about what we expected when we asked this week’s “On the Street” question of Inlander readers (see Page 5). Plenty of respondents noted that recent outdoor meals were definitely chillier than is comfortably tolerable, even with the presence of portable propane or electric heaters. Some said restaurants’ temporary outdoor shelters seemed to be more crowded than current regulations allow, or that tables didn’t appear to be adequately distanced. Others mentioned that even being seated outside isn’t enough of a safety precaution for them, and instead they plan to only order takeout for the foreseeable future. Not all the comments were negative. Several people also noted having enjoyable dining experiences in recent weeks, saying the chance to leave the house for a few hours for a tasty meal is worth bundling up. They shared that service was friendly, and some outdoor spaces were plenty warm. For the region’s hundreds of restaurants, this ex-
28 INLANDER JANUARY 28, 2021
tended wintertime patio dining, paired with updated rules for open-air dining in indoor spaces when certain conditions are met, plus a continued focus on takeout orders, remains a critical financial lifeline. It still might not be enough. Last week, several restaurant owners from across Eastern Washington sent out a recorded plea to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s office, asking for a 50 percent capacity seating (double what’s currently permitted), which applies to patio and open-air indoor seating combined. Meanwhile, a poll conducted by the statewide Washington Hospitality Association shows 75 percent bipartisan support from residents for restaurants to reopen at 50 percent indoor capacity. Nearly as many also support recently introduced legislation (Senate Bill 5144 and House Bill 1321) to allow restaurants to reopen indoor dining at 25 percent capacity and to transfer power from the governor to the Legislature to increase capacity over time.
A
quarter of normal capacity at Rock City Grill on the upper South Hill, for example, is about 11 tables total, says owner Jim Rhoades. That’s five
tables on the restaurant’s covered patio, and six indoors when the building’s garage door to the patio is open, he says. Rock City is one of dozens of local restaurants able to utilize the state’s open-air rule, which lets restaurants seat at indoor tables as long as accommodations are made to increase inside ventilation, like opening roll-up bay doors or multiple windows. A major stipulation of those options, however, is constant carbon dioxide monitoring to ensure fresh, outdoor air is moving throughout the space. “This last week, we were able to call a couple people back on the schedule who hadn’t been on because there wasn’t enough work for them, and it was a busy, great weekend,” Rhoades says. “It felt like a restaurant again with the heated patio and the six [indoor] tables. It was fun. It felt like something I remember.” Rhoades says despite the many challenges he and fellow restaurant owners have faced since last March, the outpouring of community support has given him, his wife, Rose, and their staff a positive outlook. “During the first shutdown, the response from our regular customers and the amount of tips they left for our