Local restaurants ready to welcome back eager diners
TEXARKANA, Texas — Restaurants launch into preparations to welcome diners back to their dining spaces. After being closed to inside dining due to COVID restrictions, many local eateries look forward to welcoming their customers back.
“We’ve held up through the shutdown,” said Jason K. Williams, owner of Benchmark American Brasserie. “Our landlord is good. And as an owner/operator, with this crew I’ve worked with for a long time, we’ve made sacrifices to keep Benchmark American Brasserie running. We’re proud of what we have got here and we were determined to keep it going.”
Williams also credits his wife and head chef, Rebecca “Becky” Williams, for her skill in keeping things going.
“She minimized product loss and set up our menu for those weeks,” he said. “In addition, our cocktails to go were a key revenue generator and we hope to continue that service as things open up.”
Already, customers are reserving space.
“Our Friday is booked up at the current maximum 25%,” he said. “But we are glad to be back. Our full menu is returning, our team is ready.
Dixie Diner in Nash, Texas, is ready to open its doors to its long time diners. Assistant manager Sharon Binning describes the last few weeks as a frightening period.
“It was scary, especially when it started,” she said. “We didn’t know what was going to happen, worried about business and everyone’s safety.”
She is grateful as she looks ahead.
“Glad we are looking at better days,” she said. “We are working hard to sanitize everything and look after the safety of our customers. Hand washing, to the point where old tattoos and bar stamps show up.”
Dixie Diner will also operate with the 25% dining space restriction initially, as well as other measures put in place to ensure safety of customers and staff.
“We will be screening our staff, putting an extra emphasis on cleaning, using disposable menus, safeguarding our customers in every way we can,” she said.
The coming home is the best part about reopening to the public.
“We will be rehiring our staff, and that’s a blessing,” she said. “And it will be great to welcome back our customers, many of whom are long-timers who regard this place as a second home. I’m excited and it is making me cry. Our regulars who kept coming to us during these previous weeks would take their takeout to their cars and eat it in the parking lot. They didn’t know what else to do. It is great to welcome them in again.”
Hopkins Icehouse at Gibson Lane on the Texasnside is opening as well, with measures in place to protect customers.
“We will have standalone sanitizers, employees trained with extra caution, and of course, the 25% dining room limit,” said Lishia Matlock, general manager. “But we will be rocking it with our full menu. We look forward to seeing you all. Be safe, be careful.”
Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery in downtown Texarkana, Texas, plans on continuing its curbside and delivery even after they open on the 31st of April.
“For our 25% dine-in as well as our take-out customers, we’ve got a new menu waiting for them as well as a new drink menu,” said Nathan Anderson, manager. “We will also continue to offer our hot n’ ready meals for families. Inside, we will for the time being be limited to six people to a table and no bar sitting.”
Yoli’s Mexican Grill in Wake Village will be staying with their delivery and take-out window for the time being, according to Savannah Howard.
“Our dining room is small, and limited to 25% capacity, it is not worth it,” she said. “When the restrictions are loosened some more, we will welcome dine-in customers.”
Despite the restrictions, she said Yoli’s has come through this very well.
“We thank our customers old and new. Our old customers stayed with us through this and our new customers — lots of them, thank you very much — supported us through this situation,” she said. “The health and safety of our customers and staff are important and we look forward to welcoming all of you into our dining space when the restrictions allow.”
Chuck E. Cheese in the mall continues curbside operations and online orders and is not dependent on the rest of the mall opening. However, it will not be opening its dining space just yet, as it is categorized in Texas law as an arcade, under the same law as casinos, and they have not been opened just yet.
“We have lots of carryout options and a great $5 menu,” said Domonique Price, general manager. “Those have been doing great. Pizza, wings, we still have it.”