Following Gov. Bill Lee’s April 24 announcement allowing restaurants to reopen with limited capacity in the majority of Tennessee counties, restaurants in Williamson County have begun to allow customers into their dining areas on April 27.


In order to reopen, a revised state of emergency order from Mayor Ken Moore stated that restaurants in the Franklin area must comply with guidelines set out in the governor’s Tennessee Pledge, including being limited to 50% capacity, having employees wear cloth masks and continue to practice federal guidelines in regards to hygiene and workplace sanitation standards. The pledge also asks restaurants to keep tables 6 feet apart, not reopen bar areas and outlines safer ways to handle menus and silverware.

Following the guidelines in place, restaurants like Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant in downtown Franklin, Scout’s Pub, McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery and Mojo’s Tacos have already made plans to allow customers into their dining areas on April 27 while continuing to offer curbside pickup and take-out options for customers.

“After many unpredictable weeks, we are delighted to safely serve our communities in our dining rooms and patios,” A. Marshall Hospitality Founder and CEO Andy Marshall said in a release. “We will continue extra safety measures throughout this pandemic, and assure safety for all staff and guests while providing a great meal and top-notch service.”

Other restaurants in Williamson County are choosing instead to keep their dining areas closed until further notice despite being allowed to open, like Frothy Monkey in Franklin.

"We will continue to innovate to stay relevant in an effort to employ more staff, and continue to offer the best quality experience possible," an update on Frothy Monkey’s website said. "Our goal is to invest our resources in sustainable practices as we add staff and begin the process of reopening fully."


According to the governor and Moore’s revised state of emergency order, retail businesses will be allowed to open April 29 assuming they following similar precautionary measures and adhere to guidelines laid out by the Tennessee pledge, while details regarding the reopening of close contact businesses like gyms and hair salons are expected to be announced by Lee later this week.