◆ Alpine Restaurant opened, with new guidelines for seating.
April was a hard month for Alyshia Trujillo, Mariah Toutjan and Daniel Cordoua. They own Yankee Doodles Restaurant in Alpine and had to close inside dining to accommodate temporary health guidelines associated with COVID- 19.
However, on May 4, Lincoln County, working with the state and county health offices granted variances, allowing restaurants to open for indoor services.
The openings came with a series of requirements, such as face coverings for staff and washing hands between service at different tables. Customers are also required to sit six-feet apart under the variance agreement.
Vehicles lined the front of the restaurant Tuesday morning a week after the opening. “It’s great,” Trujillo said of the opening this past week. “We get our regulars back and we’re seeing friendly faces again.”
She added, “The regulars are happy to be back,” with many commenting, “It’s about time!”
As the two owners were explaining the seating program, that included groups no larger than six with six-foot distancing, two more breakfast customers walked int the door and were greeted with a cheery, “Good morning,” from Toutjan, with the added friendly advice to “sit anywhere you like.”
The choice was narrowed for the visitors as every other booth or table was blocked off with yellow tape creating a six-foot distance.
Trujillo and Toutjan reported, “Everything is still the same for the restaurant after re-opening.” However, they noted breakfast was running later than usual to accommodate customers coming back for some of their favorites.
“We just have to be open,” Trujillo concluded, “It’s a relief for us after struggling and April was the hardest.”
Yankee Doodles is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Friday and Saturdays until 9 p.m. to accommodate prime rib dinners. The restaurant is open Sundays until 5 p.m.
For the present time the adjoining coffee shop on the south side of Yankee Doodle’s is open each evening, allowing customers to pick up dinners at the drive through window.
