Santa Barbara County: Restaurants make last minute preparations for reopening indoors

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - It’s the moment many have been waiting for.

Indoor dining is returning Wednesday when Santa Barbara County moves back to the less restrictive red tier.

"I’m excited because I can have a hot meal brought to me and I don’t have to take it home or eat it in my car," says customer Haley Imel of Figueroa Mountain Brewing.

"I think it would open up a lot of things for other businesses, and we would be super happy to give them our business," says customer Brandon Rivers of Moxie Cafe.

The managers at Figueroa Mountain Brewing and Moxie Cafe in Santa Maria say the reopening is good for business.

"It’s about time, we’re ready to go we’re clean sanitize ready to have people back in doors again," says manager Jason Turton of Figueroa Mountain Brewery.

"I think the most exciting part is getting through this pump of the pandemic and getting people back inside restaurants and getting people back to a normal life," says general manager Robert Grimmesey of Moxie Cafe.

Some customers view restaurants not only as a place to eat, but also socialize, which they’ve missed throughout the pandemic.

"I will be absolutely thrilled because now we can return to normal life," says customer Joseph Dockery of Moxie Cafe.

Managers at both restaurants say once they reopen indoor services they still plan to continue all health protocols including keeping a 6 feet distance between their tables.

"Well it’s also St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow night, so it is the perfect opportunity to go and sit inside get served a nice meal maybe a drink," says customer Kelly Brickey of Moxie Cafe.

Both Moxie Cafe and Figueroa Mountain Brewery plan to open their doors to indoor dining during regular hours tomorrow.