Restaurants say new restrictions may be tough to survive

BOSTON — Erik Hynes is the general manager of the Hynes Restaurant Groups and he’s fired up about Gov. Charlie Baker’s new restaurant restrictions.

“Let’s look at the real science here. Restaurants are linked to only 133 cases in the most recent report. That’s directly from the state,” Hynes said.

That’s 133 out of more than 40,000 positive COVID cases according to Hynes. He is upset that Baker is now restricting restaurant capacity from 40 percent  to 25 percent.

“Instead of coming out and closing us and saying, ‘You guys are closed.’ It’s literally restriction after restriction after restriction until we almost have to close on our own,” Hynes said.

But Baker said studies show dropping capacity stops the spread.

“When you get down below 30 percent and you start to have a pretty significant impact on infection rates generally,” Baker said.

Still, restaurants which are held to high cleaning standards feel they are being unfairly targeted.

Suzanne Lombardi, who owns The Plate in Milton, said the capacity cuts will hit them hard.

“We went from a capacity of 50 down to 25 now it will bring us down to a capacity of 10 to 12 people,” Lombardi said.

The Plate’s general manager, Katie Flynn, said people may be reluctant to come in.

“The takeout hopefully makes up for some of that anyway. But if people want to come in and sit down and we don’t have the space they can’t they’ll go elsewhere,” Flynn said.

After the spike in COVID cases post-Thanksgiving, the governor wanted to send a strong message.

“(It) sends a pretty loud signal that people need to take this seriously,” Baker said.

Restaurants say they’ve taken every rule seriously. For many, this latest restriction may be too much and they have a message for the governor.

“I hope it lasts for two weeks. I hope it lasts for two weeks and that’s it,” Flynn said.

The new restrictions go into effect on Saturday, the day after Christmas and are expected to last for two weeks.

Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts

>> Complete local and national coronavirus coverage here

RESOURCES:

- Complete local and national coronavirus coverage here

- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Watch Boston 25 NOW

- Download our free apps for your phone and smart TV