Yuma restaurant not ready to provide dine-in services

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A Yuma seafood restaurant is wary about offering dine-in services, even after Arizona restaurants were given the green light to do so starting today.

Mariscos Mar Azul is a seafood restaurant off of 5th Avenue in Yuma where like every other restaurant in Arizona since the coronavirus pandemic began, were forced to close their doors to the public. The restaurant switched to providing take out services to their customers.

Governor Doug Ducey announced as part of a phased plan to reopen the economy that restaurants in Arizona were allowed to re-open their doors for dine-in services beginning May 11th, as long as they follow certain guidelines.

This includes social distancing customers and proper sanitation procedures.

For some restaurant owners the green light to offer these dine-in services was what they needed before their business went down under.

For others like Mariscos Mar Azul, opening up now is just too much of a risk to their staff and customers. That is why the seafood restaurant is deciding not to offer dine-in services just quite yet.

General Manager for Mariscos Mar Azul, James Nunez, says that most of his staff isn't prepared to return to work either, for fears of being exposed to the virus.

They hope to open their doors in maybe one to two weeks, depending on how comfortable they feel with the number of coronavirus cases in Yuma County. Meanwhile, they are in the process of hiring more staff.

Until then the restaurant is planning to continue to offer its takeout services for its customers and urges everyone in their community to stay safe amid the pandemic.