Restaurants starting to see customers return after mask mandate lifted

It has been a difficult two years for restaurants having to close, reopen, close again and completely change their business models during the pandemic.

Since the mask mandate was lifted on March 21, restaurant owners say business has been booming but some still aren’t back to normal.

The owner of the West Town on Locke St. said it’s been encouraging seeing customers return, but they’re not all back just yet.

“Well, we definitely see signs of everybody wanting to come back out and we’re getting busier. We’re not quite back at pre-covid numbers, but it’s we feel it’s right around the corner.”

With the Easter weekend approaching restaurant owners expects the steady flow of patrons to continue.

The restaurant owners CHCH News spoke with say they learned a lot about their businesses during the pandemic.

As for how long it will take restaurants to recover financially from the pandemic, the owners we spoke with said the money they lost in the last couple of years is gone forever.