Here we are reopening….in the midst of an unprecedented rise in covid-19 cases in Atlanta and Georgia.  The line that was flattening, is now rising steadily.
Why am I reopening, when I sat on my high horse in April and said it’s not safe?  Because I do not think it is going away.  This is the new normal.  Cases will increase (in my opinion) because business owners and their customers, clients, guests, are not following the guidelines that were established.  This puts everyone at risk.  You’ve all read the news.
I have to see if I can come up with a business model that will sustain us through the long haul, while following all the guidelines and even some tougher ones that are in place today.  Yes, I finally did receive a PPP loan towards the end of May.  I consider myself lucky for not having gotten it sooner; when the requirements for its forgiveness were unreasonable.  So this will help me start.  I do want to be one of those places that have such strict rules that guests are comfortable joining us.  Being able to offer dining inside makes the take-out business more cost effective.
So here we go…..On July 8 and forward.  Please bring your masks with you…..and read the earlier post on procedures before dining with us.

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Here are the nitty-gritty details:

We, at Babette’s Café, have always been committed to quality, excellence, and service. The safety and care of our staff and guests is always a priority, now more than ever. As we prepare to reopen, we want to make sure we do it the best way, so everyone is comfortable to enjoy our hospitality. In accordance with and in addition to the Reopening Guidelines, we have detailed for you the updates and changes we are implementing to bring us all together again.

• Upon arrival to work, every staff member will have their temperature taken by thermoscan and will be required to wear a mask.
• New dining room hours are set to better manage the amount of people in our space in an evening.
• Reservations are required. We are staggering the seating of each table to limit the flow of guests in and out of the restaurant during what would be peak hours. Walk-in availability will be very limited.
• The number of guests per table will be limited – no large parties will be booked at this time.
• Because the drive to our parking lot is so steep and a single lane, for safety reasons, we must utilize a valet. However, your valet will always be wearing a mask and will be sanitizing their hands before entering and after exiting each vehicle. Cash tips are not necessary, as you will now be able to add a valet tip on your credit card receipt after dining inside the restaurant.
• Guests will enter through our main, front entrance and will exit the restaurant via our handicap ramp.
• We will require guests to wear a mask upon entering and exiting the restaurant and when leaving the table to visit the restroom.  We will ask that you join us at another time in the future if this is not agreeable to you.
• The dining room and deck tables have been spaced according to CDC guidelines. Each guest, while seated, will be at least 6 feet from anyone seated at any nearby tables.

Pre COVID-19 Dining Room occupancy – 65 seats/Social Distancing Occupancy – 28 seats

Pre COVID-19 Deck occupancy – 24 seats/ Social Distancing Occupancy – 12 seats

• Bar seating is not available at this time.
• At the table, silverware setups will be rolled, disposable paper menus will be offered, and hand sanitizer will be on each table.
• We ask that the restrooms be limited to one person at a time. The doors do lock. One person may wait in the small area outside, but any more than that will need to wait at their table.
• Cashless transactions are preferred. We have updated our credit card system so we can bring a keypad to the table and the guest will insert their own card and take their receipts. A sanitized pen will be provided to you, if needed.
• Several of our favorite and most popular dishes will be offered, so you will hardly notice that it is a slightly smaller menu. And yes, we will have Halibut! Bread service will be shifted from the communal baguette to a per-guest, individual offering.
• During our dinner service, a designated staff member will be performing routine sanitation for all commonly used areas, i.e. doorknobs, our POS screens, pin pads, etc.

For those not quite ready to join us in the dining room, we have two great options for you to enjoy Babette’s at home – curbside pick-up and the return of Babette’s Pantry! Our menu will be posted on our website and will be enabled for online ordering as well as payment. There are two parking spaces right up front, designated for our curbside customers and we will bring your order to you. The spots will also be available for dropping off or picking up handicap guests.

The Pantry will feature items for you to take home and prepare from scratch, such as cuts of filet and lamb, portions of salmon and halibut. We will also be offering whole pies and tarts, quarts of corn chowder and several of our favorite sauces and dressings so you can create your own personalized Babette’s dinner at home!

See you soon!