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Are Seattle restaurants ready for phase 2?

caption: Orders being prepared to go at Beacon Hill's Musang restaurant.
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Orders being prepared to go at Beacon Hill's Musang restaurant.

In order to reopen, restaurants will need to include new expenses and requirements. Bill Radke spoke with Melissa Miranda, chef and owner of Musang, the Filipinx restaurant in Beacon Hill, about why the restaurant is sticking with take-out for now.

Governor Inslee's plan to reopen the economy could open Seattle a little more, as early as June 1st.

Phase 2 of Governor's plan includes a slow return of industries like restaurants -- but with some changes.

Under phase 2 rules, Washington restaurants will need to meet all thirteen mandated requirements in order to reopen again.

Melissa Miranda, chef owner of Musang in Beacon Hill, has decided to wait to reopen, even if the county does move to phase 2. "We have decided to take our time in deciding when we're going to open up to actual dine-in experiences ," she said.

Musang began it's takeout program on May 6th. The restaurant had been operating solely as a community kitchen after the start of the Stay Home order.

A full reopening is not guaranteed for any restaurant. If the number of new infections and hospitalization continue to rise in phase 2, Governor Inslee said that he would not hesitate to scale these efforts back down.

So phase 2 comes with a price tag and uncertainty.

"The first round was so devastating," she said, "if we were to re-close in the fall it might be more damaging than it is helpful."

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