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[Editor's note: as the COVID-19 situation is fast-changing, some of the information provided here on March 13 has already changed.]
Major Madison restaurant groups Food Fight and Deja Food Restaurant Group were proactive on March 12, sending press releases explaining extra steps they are taking to protect their customers in light of COVID-19. Others took to social media to reassure customers and outline extra precautionary steps they’re taking.
Deja Food, which consists of L’Etoile, Estrellón and Graze restaurants, announced that it “will continue running all of the restaurants with normal business hours until further notice,” but “understand(s) that a lot of our guests have been staying out of public spaces and we respect their decision.”
The press release underlined that the restaurants “are taking the necessary and usual precautions with cleanliness and are keeping our teammates who feel anything other than great, at home… Health and safety is our number one concern for both guests and staff.” Takeout orders are welcome.
In a press release, Food Fight wrote that “we are practicing all the recommended precautions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health authorities. While we have always taken these protocols seriously, we have increased safety measures at each of our restaurants. This includes increasing the frequency and scope of our cleaning practices, implementing heightened hand-washing procedures for employees, and performing additional sanitation of all hard surfaces in our kitchens, bars, dining rooms, restrooms, and entryways.” The Food Fight group consists of 21 area restaurants including Monty’s Blue Plate, The Avenue Club and Bassett Street Brunch Club.
Caitlin Suemnicht, chief operating officer at Food Fight, writes in an email to Isthmus that “we are in the planning process of a thousand ‘what ifs.’” Suemnicht writes that dine-in business is down “a little bit, but who knows what will happen tomorrow? We are staying informed and playing it day by day, even hour by hour.” So far, Suemnicht says, the biggest impact has come through cancellations of catered group events.
The only major closure so far has been in Milwaukee. On March 12, Lakefront Brewery announced that “as of Friday, March 13, we will be closing to the public due to the national outbreak of COVID-19. Our Beer Hall, restaurant, tours and special events will cease operations until further notice.”
The late winter Dane County Farmers’ Market at Garver Feed Mill on Saturday has also been cancelled. Currently, only this Saturday’s market is cancelled and the DCFM will continue to monitor the situation.
On Facebook, Salvatore’s Tomato Pies posted that it was stepping up normal sanitation and would “more frequently treat all areas that guests and employees come in contact with.... Bartenders are now regularly using single use gloves when necessary and appropriate. We are checking our chemicals even more frequently to make sure the proper concentrations are being used.”
“No-contact delivery” — with customers ordering and paying online and delivery persons texting upon arrival — was being offered from the Sun Prairie Salvatore’s location, while Madison delivery was available through EatStreet, the post stated.
Surya Cafe, Rockhound Brewing, The Heights Kitchen and Right Bauer Brewing were among local eateries posting on Facebook about increasing their sanitation and a willingness to have customers pay online and carry out.
Essen Haus posted on Instagram that it has 1-liter, single-drinker “boots” available and it is discouraging the use of the bar’s popular 2-liter boots, which are often shared.
On March 13, Table Wine sent a press release announcing it would remain open and continue holding regularly scheduled store events, but would be instituting extra precautions with cleaning, especially glassware, and suggests using ApplePay or GooglePay as no-contact payment methods; credit cards are okay and customers will not have to sign slips. Cash is still acceptable "but we would prefer other modes of payment if you can," according to the press release.
On March 13, The Great Dane Pub and Brewery announced via a letter from president Eliot Butler, also posted on its Facebook page, that it is taking a number of extra safety measures including discarding paper menus after one use, not using cardboard coasters, seating customers farther apart, as well as vigilance in sanitation practices.
People posting on Twitter and Facebook are suggesting takeout orders or purchasing gift cards for later use as a way to help support local restaurants.
Tom Rozeske, taproom manager at Working Draft Beer Company on East Wilson Street, says that Wednesday night’s trivia competition fielded 17 teams, a high number. Business so far has not changed much, although at one point yesterday “I think every single person at the bar was talking about the coronavirus,” Rozeske says. Working Draft is also taking extra sanitation precautions, using higher dilution rates in sanitizers and forgoing, for the time being, the use of paper menus in favor of a digital display only.
“But it is the beginning stages,” Rozeske reflects. “Tonight, we don’t know what to expect.”
[Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect more news as we receive it.]
