Indoor Dining Reopens February 10, 2021
There has been so much anticipation about the return of indoor dining at 1776. We appreciate, and stress over, the texts, calls, and emails. Why doesn’t it feel as exciting to share our update? It has been a taxing year. There is so much angst to get back to it, but I cannot shake the feelings of worry, fear, and doubt. Everyone talks about getting back to normal, but what the hell is normal? I am not sure if any of this is going to work.
I keep trying to convince myself it’s all going to be fine… But will people show up? Will they show up with patience and grace? Can we still produce the same experiences? Will we ever truly get back to the way we were? The fact is we have no idea what the new normal will be. It is a dismal perspective, but very valid coming from how far down we have fallen. I do not, and will not, do anything half assed. My team and I do not operate that way. We want to reopen with passion. 1776 is committed to bringing the best we have to offer with YOU! As dark as some days were, we persevered from all of the love and support as we navigated these past 11 months.
We have a long week ahead. This week starts the process to reopen. Whether 25% or 50%, our goal is to reopen for limited indoor dining on Wednesday, February 10th at 4pm. Please give us grace. It is not as easy as just opening the doors after nearly a year. We need to clean and sanitize EVERYTHING. The supply chain for many of our goods and liquids has kinks, as there have been many shifts in the industry. Entire sales teams are still furloughed. Some companies no longer exist. Beer, even local, has not been produced in kegs for months. It has taken time to get that produced and delivered. Some staff was forced to find new employment as the shutdown continued. We empathize with them. The staff that is coming back needs to be trained on new, ever-changing, safety protocols, etc. There is so much to do and only a handful of staff to do it. But it WILL be worth it! YOU are worth it!
What TIER 1 MIDIGATIONS look like:
Please be mindful that we are striving to follow these rules, to continue the safety of our guests, staff, families, vendors and community at large.
Indoor service limited to the lesser of 25 guests or 25% capacity per room
Indoor service reservations limited to 2-hour maximum duration and maximum 4 persons per party (dining only with members of the same household recommended)
All bar and restaurant patrons should be seated at tables
No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)
Tables should be 6 feet apart
No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting
No dancing or standing indoors
Reservations required for each party
No seating of multiple parties at one table
I have succumbed to the fact that it is not going to be the same. How could it be? Every comeback has a bottom. This is our bottom. The place where we restart. Please, let’s all be patient with each other as we start over. As we return to the space - no complaining, no agitations, no attitudes or bullshit. We have been through a lot. There have been way too many tears to see more negatives as we reopen. This restart is a positive. We are so grateful to be able to open again. Let’s stay in a place of celebration. I know we have all missed and long for the connection while breaking bread, sharing in wine, and enjoying the joyous conversation with those that we love. I beg of you to pause for a moment and be present. Take it in. Enjoy these moments as we are able to enjoy them again. We have all waited so long for this. If 2020 has taught us anything, it was that our normal was not, in fact, normal. We all needed a reset, and opportunity to be better versions of ourselves. I challenge you to show up that way. Not only when you are in our space, but every day and everywhere. We have all endured too much to go back.
RESERVATIONS GO LIVE FOR INDOOR DINING ONLY AT 1776RESTAURANT.COM ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH, 2021 AT 9AM.
No bar seating is available under our current mitigation. Reservations only. All reservations are 90 minutes. Max groups of four. No exceptions. We will not accept text messages, phone messages, social media messages, emails, love letters, pigeons, bribes or favors. (That said, a bottle of 1982 Cheval Blanc, 1947 Lafleur, or 1992 Screaming Eagle will get you a private table with Erik in the bar.)
While we would love to, there is very limited availability each night we are open, and we cannot accommodate everyone. Carry out is still ongoing as we will need to continue that segment of our business to survive.
Thank you,
Rhienna McClain and the '76er family