Only a handful of Decorah restaurants plan to change their operations on Friday

On Monday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds loosened the COVID-19-based restrictions on restaurants in 77 out of Iowa 99 counties.  Her new proclamation allows restaurants to have sit-down service, so long as they make their customers practice safe distancing and have only half of the seating they previously had.

While some restaurants in Decorah had closed during April, many others switched to takeout and/or delivery service.  A survey by decorahnews.com has revealed that at least 20 Decorah restaurants plan to keep doing what they were doing in April and not make any changes at this point.  Only three restaurants--Great Dragon, Ruby's and Stone Hearth Inn--will be opening on Friday.  The Family Table will be opening for dine in and takeout service at 6:00 a.m. Monday, May 4th.

One of the restaurants which will be operating the same on Friday as it has during April is Rubaiyat, where co-owner Andy Bonnet's Facebook post reads, "For the safety of ourselves, our employees and our community, Rubaiyat will not be reopening for dine-in until we feel it is completely safe to do so. We will continue to have correspondence with health officials and government leaders to make decisions based on the best interests of everyone in our community."

Bonnet's phrasing has been picked up by other restaurant operators, including Brenda McCaffrey of McCaffrey's, who posted: "For the safety of all we will continue to be closed until it is deemed safe for us all to return to normal!" 

Those continuing to offer takeout or delivery meals include Culver's, Don Jose Mexican Restaurant, Ede's Angry Pickle, Good Times Grill, High Wide & Handsome Pizzaria, Impact Coffee, Java John's, Koreana, Mabe's Pizza, Mc Donald's, Pizza Ranch, Rubaiyat and T-Bock's.

Those who are closed and will remain closed include Hotel Winneshiek, La Rana, Luna Valley Farm, Magpie, Mc Caffrey's, Old Armory BBQ, Oneota Co-op Cafe and The Whippy Dip.

Against those 21 restaurants which are either closed or limited to just carryouts or deliveries, there are three which will reopen on Friday--Great Dragon Restaurant, Ruby's Restaurant and Stone Hearth Inn.  A Facebook message by the Stone Hearth Inn describes theirs as "a gradual re-opening," with tables "spaced appropriately for social distancing" and with a limit on the number of guests.  Say the owners, "We have missed our customers and it will be great to start the slow entrance into the 'new normal'."