Bob and Edith’s Diner on Arlington’s Columbia Pike has been serving up pancakes, eggs, meatloaf, and fried chicken since 1969. Yet, these past few months — when they had to shut down for sit-down business in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic — are nothing like the small business has seen in their more than fifty years in operation.

“It’s unprecedented,” says General Manager Teddy Encubahre, standing outside of the restaurant on a Sunday afternoon, “We didn’t know what to do or how to handle it.”

Until Friday, the restaurant was doing only carryout and delivery. This was worrisome for Encubahre.

“We didn’t know if customers would still keep coming to us because we’re a diner,” he said. “Nobody really has to-go in mind for diners.”

At the end of May, restaurants could open outdoor seating during Phase One, but the small diner, set between two gas stations, didn’t have the capacity to do that. But this weekend, with Northern Virginia moving into Phase Two of reopening, patrons are now able to eat indoors and the restaurant is taking advantage.

Significant restrictions remain like 50% capacity, tables set at least six feet apart, no bar or counter seating, and single-use menus. The Diner fits about twenty customers. They’ve reconfigured the restaurant, including moving out a few tables, to meet guidelines, says Encubahre. They are also asking people who are waiting for take-out to remain outside.

While the diner is ready for patrons to come inside, Encubahre knows it may take time for customers to adjust.

“Yesterday it wasn’t as busy as we anticipated, but today is definitely busier,” Encubahre said.

Across the region, restaurants and businesses are continuing to adjust to the easing of restrictions as they move into Phase Two. In Old Town Alexandria, the 100 block of King Street is closed to allow restaurants more outdoor seating, though it appeared to allow for the gathering of crowds last night. In Clarendon, the restaurant/music venue The Renegade actually hosted live music to a limited in-person audience on Friday night. Dog parks, pools, and farmers’ markets are all reopening with restrictions under Phase Two.

But not everyone is comfortable with taking advantage of the restrictions easing.

“I guess, mentally, I’m just not prepared to sit in an actual [restaurant] again,” says Gabi Aguayo, who was waiting on her carry-out from Bob and Edith’s Diner. “I walked in and it’s pretty full.

“I just have to do what makes me comfortable. Sitting in a restaurant with people isn’t that yet.”

Even some local restaurants have made the choice not to move customers inside right away.

Taqueria el Poblano, located just down Columbia Pike, celebrated its eighth year in May.

Thomas Stevens, co-owner of this location and the two others in Del Ray and in North Arlington, said he and his partners decided that they needed a few extra days to transition to Phase Two. Stevens says they have to get their sanitizing routine down, ramp staffing back up, and make sure traffic flow works before allowing customers inside. Meanwhile, they have their outdoor seating and expect to let customers inside by Tuesday.

“We’ll get it done, but we’ll do it on our own schedule,” says Stevens.

Since bar seating still isn’t allowed, Stevens says the restaurant will be to accommodate less than 50% of their usual occupancy. He admits this has all been a challenge, quickly shifting from carry-out to outdoor seating to back inside, but he thinks it will be worth it in the end.

At about 1 p.m., every table at Bob and Edith’s Diner is full, though it certainly doesn’t seem crowded.

Encubahre says that customers have been great, understanding, and generally courteous of wearing face masks when not eating. He’s hopeful this is just the second step in getting operations back to normal when lines stretched down the sidewalk.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is expected to announce plans for Phase Three on Tuesday. That would ease restrictions even more.

“We went into Phase One about two and a half weeks ago. And now we are in Phase Two,” Encubahre says. “I feel like we’ll be in Phase Three before August.”