Slowly but surely, diners are returning to restaurants

Above: The Kingfish Inn on Orcas Island. (Photo/Kingfish via Facebook)

I’ve written several blog posts discussing the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on business. And I’ve focused mostly on movie theaters.

But among my Facebook “friends” – some of whom I’ve never met in person – the main obsession seems to be with restaurants. As in, they can’t wait to return to a time when they can eat in public without fear.

Some of them, in fact, are probably already doing it. I recently stopped by Bennidito’s Pizza on the South Hill for a pick-up order and saw no less than a couple dozen people eating, drinking and otherwise communing – both inside and out – with nary a mask attached to a single face. Except, of course, for the servers.

Despite already being vaccinated, I am not yet that brave – if that’s the right word to use.

It’s true, though, that the restaurant has been hit hard by the pandemic lock-down. And my friend, and former Spokesman-Review colleague Leslie Kelly, has written about it at length. Her latest story for Forbes.com concerns the chef Raymond Southern, chef-owner of the Kingfish Inn on Orcas Island.

“While there’s no doubt the first year of Kingfish was rocky,” Kelly wrote, “since reopening, the restaurant has been swamped with reservation requests.”

Though Kelly and her writer husband John Nelson (another former Spokesman-Review colleague) found most seats “occupied by 6 on a recent rainy Wednesday,” Southern told her that his main “issue is maintaining 50 percent occupancy, not filling up.”

“There are lots of locals who love dining at restaurants,” Southern said.

Same is true here in Spokane. And, no doubt, all over the state – if not the entire country.

Note: Kelly recommends that those wanting to visit the San Juan Islands should prepare by first accessing the Visit San Juan Islands website.