As you may know, Governor DeSantis gave Florida restaurants (excluding certain counties) the all-clear to open back up for dine-in last week, on Monday, May 4th. The major catch was that restaurants may only operate at 25% capacity, aside from to-go orders, and must still comply with CDC guidelines, such as social distancing.
The owners of Railroad Square Craft House truly went above and beyond, not only taking all the cautionary steps to ensure a safe and great reopening but also going the extra mile to do their own research. They kept all of their patrons in mind, keenly observant of the fact that their patrons were divided - some were more than ready to be able to dine out again, while others were more hesitant and still worried about their safety. The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on us all and there is no longer such a caveat as being too safe.
A couple of days before their reopening, The Craft House shared a very interesting, and very thorough, survey to their Facebook page. This was definitely the first (and only) survey I saw from all of the Tallahassee restaurants and I was incredibly impressed. Not only do they ask you about your personal opinion regarding Governor Desantis' decision, but they also ask for your feedback regarding temperature checks, outdoor seating, and even table spacing.
Of the 10 questions that they ask you, the most impressive one (in my opinion) was their question regarding the use of a QR code/website for a digital menu to mitigate the risks. I can't commend The Craft House enough for thinking outside of the box with that. We're talking about mitigating the transfer of germs and decreasing waste. Why waste hundreds, if not thousands, of single-use paper menus that would be incredibly difficult (or impossible) to clean? It's innovative, impressive, and insightful.
According to their survey:
69.3% of respondents were willing to take the extra step and get their temperature checked before entering the space.
53.06% of respondents stated that they'd feel more safe if only outside seating was allowed.
89.21% of respondents agreed with utilizing a digital menu via a QR code/website to mitigate risks.
And the best part about it all?
The space.
If you've never been to Railroad Square Craft House, then you are truly missing out. It's beautiful, it's spacious, and it's lively. The Craft House's Art Garden has the capacity to hold up to 997 people. Don't believe me? The Art Garden is... 7,000 square feet and their covered patio is 2,500 square feet. In reference to their press release... Space? They've Got That.
With one of the largest outdoor spaces of any restaurant in Tallahassee, you can have your fun (and food) and social distance too. Since the beginning, Railroad Square Craft House has always abided by the guidelines, spacing their tables at least 6 feet apart. Now, they're back and better than ever. With the reopening, they've decided to close down their taproom (the inside of their restaurant) and utilize solely outside seating. They wanted to focus on being social distance friendly and ensure that their patrons were not confined to an indoor space with the risk of transference via AC systems, among other factors.
I truly cannot commend The Craft House enough. While they've always been a favorite spot of mine (especially for those date nights with my partner), they've definitely solidified their spot at the top of my list.
