Bonnell’s restaurant in Fort Worth on break until Jan. 5 after a COVID-19 exposure
Chef Jon Bonnell. often the spokesman for city restaurateurs and a leader in serving low-cost family meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, will keep his namesake Bonnell’s Restaurant dark until Jan. 5 due to an employee testing positive for the virus, he posted Monday on Facebook.
Waters Restaurant, his downtown seafood concept, will reopen Thursday. His Buffalo Bros. restaurants remain open.
Bonnell’s will be dark New Year’s Eve. It’s traditionally one of the busiest nights in the restaurant business, but less so this year, with more patrons expected to dine at home.
Bonnell’s curbside meals will also resume Jan. 5.
In an update Monday, Bonnell wrote that an employee tested positive and others in close contact are quarantined, which follows CDC rules.
“I apologize for any inconvenience, but health and safety must come first,” he wrote.
Neighbor’s House Grocery is also taking a break through Jan. 4, and smaller restaurants such as Burleson Brunch House and the LuluPops by Lina shop have gone dark for a few days and reopened.
Revised CDC guidelines have more impact on restaurant staffing. Now, workers must quarantine if they spent a total of 15 minutes within 6 feet of anyone reporting a positive COVID-19 test.
That change has led to more restaurant workers quarantining and slower service as the restaurants that remain open are shorthanded.
This story was originally published December 27, 2020 at 5:11 PM.
