jason Smith, owner of Cantina 18 in Raleigh, says he and other restaurateurs knew more restrictions were coming because of North Carolina's surging coronavirus caseload, and he's happy it wasn't a shutdown.
ARRIVES COMING UP. >>> RESTAURANT ONERS ARE LIKELY TO FEEL HE CAN OF THE NEW CURFEW MORE THAN JUST ABOUT ANYONE ELSE. THIS IS THE NEW RULES THAT WERE JUST PUT INTO EFFECT BY THE GOVERNOR TODAY THAT START ON FRIDAY. NOW, JASON SMITH IS THE CHEF AND OWNER OF CANTINA 18 IN CAMERON VILLAGE. JASON, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION TO THE NEWS THAT YOU MUST CLOSE BY 10:00 P.M. AND STOP ALCOHOL SALES AN HOUR EARLIER STARTING FRIDAY? >> WELL, WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO BE OPEN AN WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN SO ACCESSIBLE TO THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION. WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR PURCHASE DESCRIBER WHETHER IT BE OUR WINE REP OR THE BEER DELIVERY GUY ALL BEING EMPLOYED. ATE SETBACK. WE KNEW THERE WOULD BE MRI RESTRICTIONS. THE KEY RIGHT NOW IS STAYING HOPE AND KEEPING AS MANY PEOPLE EMPLOYED AS I CAN. >> CERTAINLY DOES TOUCH SO MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST THE PEOPLE THERE AT YOUR RESTAURANT. AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC. AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE. DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOUR PALMETTO STRAUGHAN IS A PLACE WHERE COVID HAS BEEN SPREADING. >> NOT AT ALL. WE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY CAREFUL TO BE SAFE. WE MASK UP. WE WASH OUR HANDS. WE KEEP WINDOWS OPEN WITH AIR FLOWING THROUGHOUT THE RESTAURANT. MY STAFF IS VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT THAT. IT IS SOMETHING THEY TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. AND WE WORK REALLY HARD TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. WE ARE HAVE VERY SPREAD OUT AND KEEP MOVING. WE DO A HEALTHY CURBSIDE BUSINESS AND THAT IS KEEPING US GOING AS WELL. >> MY LAST QUESTION AS WE WRAP UP HERE, JASON, ARE YOU HOLDING CUSTOMERS ACCOUNTABLE TOO TO TAKE THE PRECAUTION THEY NEED TO TAKE? >> WE ARE ASK. WE ARE ASKING SOMEBODY TO WE ARE A MASK. WE HAVE THEM HERE AVAILABLE FOR THEM. OUR CUSTOMERS WANT TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. THEY WANT TO KEEP US OPEN AND THEY WANT TO LISTEN TO THE GOVERNOR AND THEY WANT TO DO THINS TO MAKE THE RESTAURANT BE HERE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. >> JASON SMITH, THE OWNER OF