Customers walking through the doors of West Side Café in Fort Worth haven't happened in while since coronavirus restrictions were put in place.
Some people are glad to be out.
"Oh, it feels good,” West Side Café customer Sonia Villegas said. “It really does. I told my mom let's go mom let's go eat."
"It's pretty exciting, I guess,” another customer Simon Augire said. “You know it's kind of the first time I've been out of the house."
For West Side Café owner Tracey Sanford it wasn't an easy decision to open.
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"We got mixed feelings,” Sanford said. “At some point we got to move forward. We can't stay sequestered forever. But at the same time we have certain considerations we are exposed to more people."
Across town in Sundance Square mixed emotions at Buffalo Brothers Restaurant as well. Customers know what they want.
"It feels good to talk to people, interact, talking to the bartenders, having a beer, just if feels wonderful," Buffalo Brothers customer Daniel Gallegos said.
But the owner knows what may be right for some may not be right for all.
"I completely understand anyone who doesn't feel comfortable going out,” Buffalo Brothers owner Jon Bonnell said. “I completely understand every bit of that. Those who open and those who don't. I'm asking everyone to show a little bit of empathy out there every owner is in a little bit different situation."
Both Buffalo Brothers and West Side Café are taking all safety precautions to meet requirements for reopening.
"To get open the first thing we did was sterilize every surface in the restaurant twice,” Bonnell said. “We did everything we could possibly do."
"All of our employee’s masks and gloves, change them out every 30 minutes,” Sanford said. “We are only taking out single service items. If they want salt and pepper it's not a shaker it's a little package."
These are all small changes that allow some people to try and feel normal who aren't worried about coronavirus.
"I'm not concerned,” West Side Café customer Estella Villegas said. “I guess if God wants me to get it, I get it one way or another."
The city of Fort Worth created a guidebook for reopening safely.
“We’ve incorporated the governor’s rules and then we put suggestions to go with them,” Fort Worth Mayor Besty Price said. “Strong recommendation just like the mask and hand washing stations, don’t put chips on the table. Simple stuff.” To get more on that guide click here.
