Deborah Prescott | Daily Press Patrons of Hereford and Hops Steakhouse and Brewpub in Escanaba look over menus while receiving an appetizer before ordering Tuesday afternoon. Hereford and Hops is one of few restaurants in the area who have seating choices available to customers.

ESCANABA — Restaurants reopened in the Upper Peninsula after Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-92, allowing the reopening of retail, restaurants and offices in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula. The order took affect Friday, May 22, though some restaurants have decided to wait even longer to reopen. Despite being able to reopen doors, it hasn’t been business as usual for local restaurants.

Hereford and Hops Steakhouse and Brewpub (H&H) Owner Becky Moody reopened the restaurant and bar the Friday following the governor signing the order. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions in place to control the amount of customers in a restaurant, business has been slower than previous years.

“We’re 44% down from last year at this time,” said Moody.

H&H is set up to serve 50% of its capacity, and on weekend nights Moody said they approach filling half the restaurant and bar. Customers come in with masks and usually take them off after sitting at a table or the bar.

The hours and menu have changed to reflect the customers.

“We’re not open as late this summer. We’re closing an hour earlier than last summer and our menu is greatly reduced, because it (the paper menu) has to be disposable,” Moody said. “All the favorites, our biggest sellers, are on the menu.”

H&H offers take out, along with seating inside and outside the restaurant.

“We get more requests for outdoor seating than we use to,” she said.

Moody says she would bring back all the people that were employed before shutting down — if they would come back.

“Guests have been very understanding with the problems we’ve had with the food supply chain, and very generous with the servers,” said Moody.

Jim Stankowicz, Pacinos Food and Spirits manager, is having the same problem as Moody in getting previous employees to come back to work. Due to taking half the seating out and only having a crew of six, the restaurant is operating at 35%.

“I’ve struggled a bit with employees coming back,” said Stankowicz. “When the Federal unemployment money runs out employees will come back.”

He cannot open the restaurant the full 50% because he hasn’t been able to get employees to come back and take care of the customers. They’ve taken out half the tables to comply with the governor’s order and are open between Tuesday and Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m.

“We’ve had carry out for a while now, and it took off pretty good and strong, then as the weather got nicer business slowed down again. It’s a little slower than we’d like,” said Stankowicz.

Stankowicz thinks after the governor mandated the mask people were scared to go to restaurants again.

“There’s been a little down tick, but they’re slowing coming back out. It’s not quite as good as I hoped though,” Stankowicz said. “But it’s better than being closed.”

Pacinos’ menu is limited and available online.

“We bought software so customers could order online,” Stankowicz said.

Currently Pacinos’ is offering take out and wouldn’t turn anyone away who wanted to dine in.

“We’re checking into creating an outdoor seating area for the near future,” said Stankowicz.