Here’s how things will change as Marion’s Piazza begins to reopen its dining rooms

Marion’s Piazza, the Dayton-based pizza chain that usually operates a large-scale dine-in service, has done a pretty decent carryout business to help sustain it during the coronavirus pandemic and two-month-long, state-mandated shutdown of restaurant dining rooms, its CEO says.

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That dine-in shutdown mandate was lifted May 21, and Marion’s Piazza CEO Roger Glass told this news outlet that the pizza chain is gearing up to reopen its dining rooms in a staggered fashion, starting June 1 with the Shroyer Road location in Dayton. Reservations will be required, and hours will be limited initially to 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily, Glass said. Reservations will be available on a same-day basis only, and will be limited in number because of reduced seating capacity to accommodate social distancing, he said.

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Curbside carryout and DoorDash delivery remain available seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

The Shroyer Road piazza has one of the smaller dining rooms among the nine Marion’s Piazza locations. When reconfigured to accommodate social distancing, it will hold about 125 people — about one-third of its pre-pandemic capacity, Glass said.

In addition to the Shroyer Road location in Dayton, Marion’s operates restaurants in Kettering, Harrison Twp., Beavercreek, Englewood, Centerville, Miami Twp., Troy and Mason.

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Each of the other eight Marion’s Piazza dining rooms will reopen later in June, on an average of one every four or five days, with a target of having all of them back up and operating by July 1, Glass said. The reconfigured dining rooms at some of the other locations, such as Beavercreek and the Miami Twp./Dayton Mall, have larger dining rooms and will be able to seat as many as 250 — still about 300 less than before.

Marion’s is installing special HVAC equipment in each of its locations that is designed to eliminate viruses from recirculated air, Glass said.

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Other safety precautions will be in place. Plexiglas shields are being installed at each cash register, and all employees will be wearing masks, Glass said. Diners are asked to wear masks when they enter the restaurant,  prior to eating, but it will not be mandatory, the Marion’s Piazza CEO said.

“We want people to feel comfortable knowing that we’ve taken every step possible to protect them,” Glass said.

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