Back to 100% capacity? For local Hamden restaurants, that may mean nothing.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced that restaurants can fully reopen, operating at 100% capacity starting on Friday, March 19. 

However, businesses and places of operation will still need to abide by mandated COVID guidelines and restrictions. 

Those guidelines include wearing mandatory facial coverings, social distancing and safety cleaning protocols. Though being allowed to operate at full capacity, restaurants must close by 11 p.m. and ensure that no table exceeds a maximum of eight people.

Although they’re being allowed to reopen fully, there isn’t much more that can actually be implemented. 

Behm says, because of this, he doesn’t expect this new reopening phase to have much of an impact on their restaurant as people would’ve expected. 

“We’re slowly trying to get back there,” Behm said. “Restaurants are ready, we’ve all been adapting to the different rules and regulations and changing with executive orders. Everyone’s done very well with adapting during the pandemic, being patient, and supporting Eli’s.”

Eli’s is currently open to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and open to 10 p.m. on all other days.

Ixtapa Grille, a Mexican restaurant in Hamden, also agrees that although restaurants are able to reopen fully, 100% capacity isn’t attainable with the COVID-19 restrictions. 

Manager Griselda Ramos said that she isn’t sure if Ixtapa will be opening up to full capacity on Friday. 

“I am not sure how people will respond,” Ramos said.“Not many people come in, people usually order pick-up or delivery but even then, there is a 30% commission when customers order with Grubhub or Ubereats.”

Ixtapa is currently open to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but if people come in late they will try to stay open until 11 p.m. As of right now, first come first serve seating for dining in is available and their tables are socially distanced. 

“I’m concerned even if we open up to 100 percent, it depends on if people want to come out or not.” Ramos said. “If people take the covid vaccine and feel safer, then yes but as of now not many people want to come in.”

Another restaurant that won’t be opening up to 100 percent capacity, is Wood-N-Tap, another restaurant in Hamden serving casual American fare. However, employee Sydney Wetmore said that business has been improving for the restaurant and she expects business to get even busier. She added that with the weather getting warmer outside, they just reopened their back patio for seating last Tuesday. 

Although some might expect businesses could get back to a pre-COVID normalcy with the new guidelines, local restaurants cannot implement significant changes. As Ramos from Ixtapa said, it will also depend heavily on the customers and if they feel comfortable coming out to their local restaurants during this unprecedented time.