By Michelle Levine

Two days after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s March 9 announcement that capacity restrictions on bars and restaurants would be lifted, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said local businesses will still face dining limits.

Starting at 5 p.m. March 12, bars and restaurants in the county could operate at 50% capacity. Up from 25%, this change inspired hope for local businesses and customers. 

Alex Sanial, 21, a manager and bartender at Looney’s Pub, has seen the effects of the pandemic on local businesses. 

“Honestly it’s a complete 180,” she said of the work environment over the past year. 

It wasn’t until students returned in the fall that Looney’s brought back both indoor and outdoor seating since being shut down in the spring of 2020.

Used to “working at 150% and running around,” Sanial said the lack of foot traffic has taken a toll on the business. However, the College Park location is one of five in the Maryland chain. The differences in restrictions allowed other locations to make up for whatever was lost in College Park, she said.

Regarding the updated capacity limits, Sanial said nothing will change in Looney’s. They might be able to add a few bar stools to tables, but nothing more than that. Due to the limited space and the requirement to keep tables six feet apart, Looney’s maximum capacity with those restrictions is kept at 25%, she said.  

Amanda Murray, a junior microbiology major, started working as a hostess at Looney’s in September. She has seen the effects of Hogan’s changing restrictions over the past few months. 

Since fewer people are coming in, Murray said servers are receiving fewer tips than they are used to. Looney’s started requiring tips on bills after 9 p.m., she said. 

Other restaurants in College Park don’t have the luxury of relying on other locations for income. Bagel Place was one of many local businesses that created a GoFundMe page to raise money. 

The idea came from a regular customer who saw how successful other restaurants had been with their fundraisers. As of Wednesday, $46,366 was raised out of the $85,000 goal. 

Assistant manager Amani Desormeaux, 25,  has been working at Bagel Place for almost five years and said that he has seen a dramatic decline in sales. A prime example is the absence of tailgates in the fall, he said. 

“There’s usually a lot of orders coming in early in the morning … we’re one of the few places open at the time,” Desormeaux said. 

Even with the new restrictions set at 50% capacity, Desormeaux said safety is still the number one priority.

“We’re here for you guys,” he said. “This is a really hard time for all of us.”

The Hall CP, a full service restaurant that opened in January 2020, barely got a sense of normality before the pandemic hit. Josh Lewis, 43, has been a general manager at The Hall since August. After closing indoor dining in the fall, he said they are excited to open back up with the ability to seat more customers. 

In light of the lifted restrictions, Lewis said he added 50 seats to their outdoor dining area and 20 seats to the bar located inside. At a 50% capacity limit, 275 people can safely go to The Hall, he said. 

The whole experience has been challenging, Lewis said, but he is happy with the turnout. Lewis has found that the unique venue has been well received by locals, but the company is still losing money without being able to fill 100% of the seats. 

Students on campus are also feeling hope for the rest of this semester. Max Drzik, a junior double majoring in supply chain and business management, is excited to see the restrictions lifted. With his 21st birthday around the corner, Drzik is hopeful he’ll be able to join his friends at bars. 

“I think I speak for a majority of UMD students in saying that loosening up some of the restrictions in place in the safest way possible would make casual hangouts or things like happy hour much more entertaining,” Drzik said. 

Members of the restaurant industry said the newly lifted restrictions show hope in getting back to normality. 

“We’re really excited to get back to [normal activities], we’re all in this together,” Sanial said. 

Featured image: In December, 45% of Maryland restaurants reported that it was unlikely they would remain in business after the next six months. Restaurant are hopeful that adjusted restrictions will change their profits. Photo by Michelle Levine.