Montclair Restaurant Cited For Serving Indoors When Rain Hit: PD – Montclair, NJ Patch

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The rain doesn’t trump New Jersey’s ban on indoor dining at restaurants, it seems.

During Gov. Phil Murphy’s coronavirus briefing on Monday, a New Jersey State Police spokesperson said Cuban Pete’s in Montclair was among three locations recently cited for violating the governor’s executive order.

Due to concerns over COVID-19, New Jersey restaurants are currently prohibited from serving customers indoors. They can offer outdoor dining, takeout and delivery.

The MPD stated:

“Police responded to Cuban Pete’s restaurant with a representative of the Montclair Health Department after complaints were received that the restaurant was violating an executive order concerning dining. Upon arrival, it was observed that numerous outdoor dining tables were occupied by patrons, but were positioned in a manner that did not allow for adequate distancing between patrons. Upon entering the establishment, two dining areas were observed. The first area had three tables of diners, while the second area had two more tables of patrons.”

Montclair police continued:

“The establishment’s owner, Dominick Restaino, reportedly stated that all the patrons inside the dining areas took it upon themselves to seat themselves when the weather changed to rain. Restaino was charged with violating Executive Order 150.”

Restaino told NorthJersey.com that he “did the right thing” by letting about 30 customers inside his 300-seat restaurant when the weather turned ugly.

“What was I supposed to do?” he asked a reporter.

SOCIAL MEDIA ‘MISCOMMUNICATION’

As of Tuesday, Cuban Pete’s website says the restaurant is offering delivery and pick up only due to the coronavirus.

It’s been an adjustment that led to a “miscommunication” with a customer that got blown out of proportion on social media, the restaurant reported in June.

According to a social media post from Cuban Pete’s:

“This is a message to all my fellow followers and customers … After reading all the backlash and comments we’ve been receiving, we are deeply saddened to all the false accusations about racism. Of all the 15 years that Cuban Pete’s have been open, we always have supported and contributed towards to the African American community. We judge no one on the base of age, color, sexual identity, or religion. I would like to address the incident that occurred yesterday. Being that we’re only taking online orders due to COVID-19, a customer was discouraged that they had to place it online. After endlessly explaining and going back and forth with the customer, Dominick hung up the phone. After numerous phone calls from the same customer, he picks up the phone to explain how he’s busy and if he doesn’t wanna spend his money here that’s fine. The customer continues to say, ‘You don’t want our black dollars?’ Dominick replies, ‘I’m busy right now, it doesn’t really matter who’s dollar.’ It was a miscommunication that’s being blown out of proportion. Everybody that knows us, knows our hearts and how we always put our customers first. Especially during this time we live in right now, our community has and will always have our support.”

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