hello. this week, I asked food folks (a GM, back waiter, some chefs, an owner), a diner and a public health analyst about how they feel about reopening restaurants. https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/Are-we-reopening-too-soon-Bay-Area-diners-and-15407625.php

"Half capacity doesn’t work numbers-wise for restaurants like mine that have 14 seats each… Takeout is keeping us safe: keeping the restaurants running, the doors open, the people paid and insured. Safe.” — Tan Truong, owner of two omakase-style restaurants in SF

"We’re currently building parklets in front of the restaurant so people can eat there, but I don’t have any staff. No one wants to come back to work. I don’t want to come back to work. I’m terrified.” — an anonymous general manager who works at a restaurant in the Marina

“With all the things happening now... we have to ask ourselves as chefs, as businesspeople, what is the point? I always come back to the idea that the creation of beauty and the process that comes along with it has inherent value.” — Chris Kostow, chef at Restaurant at Meadowood

"The attitude of diners is so deeply entrenched in entitlement that they have decided that worker safety is less important than being waited on. … for a lot of people clamoring to reopen, our lives just matter less than being served.” — Sarah Tralka, back waiter

"I miss providing an experience for people. I miss laughing with guests — making jokes. With the takeout thing, I’m wearing a mask, greeting people at a loading dock. I put the food down, they take the food. There’s no real connection.” — Christopher Russell, @EatReds

"I think outdoor seating is good. Now I tip up to 40 percent of the total bill, not the usual 15 to 20 percent…We appreciate and notice when people are busting their asses to serve us to make us feel at home.” — Noelle Trinidad, diner