WAYNE COUNTY, Pa. — Five more counties in northeastern and central Pennsylvania will move into the yellow phase of reopening on Friday, but more than a few businesses are getting a little anxious.
Two restaurants in Newfoundland posted on Facebook that they would serve customers in their dining rooms, but that ended quickly when it was reported to the police, and they had to go back to curbside pickup.
During the coronavirus pandemic, many people have been trying to support small businesses, especially restaurants.
Customers haven't been allowed to dine in since mid-March.
But Spanky's Restaurant and Backroads Café & Dairy Bar weren't going to turn away customers who wanted to sit somewhere inside to eat.
Both restaurants posted on their Facebook pages about how the closures have hurt their bottom line, and small businesses are fighting to keep afloat.
People who live in the area understand why the restaurants tried to open inside dining.
"People want out. They want their businesses open. They want to make money. They have bills that we don't even understand," Robert Pidi said.
Many small businesses rely on the support of area residents.
There has been a push for people to get takeout from restaurants to help keep their doors open so they can stay open after all the restrictions are lifted.
"I support them 100%. If they need a GoFundMe page out or dollars to be donated, I'll be the first guy to do it. They got to feed their families. They're essential."
Michael Otting owns the Roadside Bistro just up the road from each restaurant.
He says he's fortunate to have the setup he does, but as a restaurant owner, he understands their frustration.
"I understand why they're doing what they're doing, and that takes a lot. I'm glad in many ways that I'm not in their shoes because I really feel that I'd probably be more on their side than where I'm standing now," Otting said.
As Wayne County moves to the yellow phase, dining in restaurants is still not permitted, but at the Roadside Bistro, they were built for takeout.
"Curbside and so on and so forth. We just had to adapt just like most people, I think are."
Both restaurants were given warnings by state police to discontinue dine-in service.
The yellow phase permits customers to be inside certain retail spaces, but that does not include restaurants.