What will it take to reopen restaurants in the state?

Randy Rosner, Manager, Bagel Boss, Hewlett

“I think that it’s up to the consumers to move along the process of reopening,” said Randy Rosner, the manger of Bagel Boss in Hewlett. “They have to continue with being aware of social distancing and most importantly wearing masks.

“It sounds like such a simple thing to follow, but there are still people trying to come into stores —my store especially — without a mask, and they’re not allowed in,” he said. “To me it boggles my mind that people think they don’t have to follow social distancing protocols. It’s set up for everybody to stay safe.

“Like the governor says, if you feel sick, you have to stay home. You have to follow the protocol; that’s the most important thing. It will help everybody in the end. It all falls on us as people, whether it’s the workers or customers. Everybody has to be aware that we’re all protecting each other by abiding by these social-distancing guidelines.

“For me personally, as the weather gets warmer, outdoor seating will become a big help for all restaurants. It gives them another avenue of serving food. We have tables outside, and if restaurants do it correctly, I think that’s going to be a big help.

“Hopefully this all comes together soon and things open up for everybody. There are so many small businesses hurting even though they’ve remained open. It’s sad to see them hurting, as it’s so hard to stay in business even under normal circumstances.”