Fuller’s During a Pandemic

My takeout order of barbecue with chicken pastry, turnips (greens), and fried cornbread.

The coronavirus pandemic that began during the winter of 2020-2021 has affected so many aspects of everyday life. The restaurant industry, in particular, has been hit very hard. As many favorite barbecue places have struggled to stay open, dedicated and long-time customers show their support by visiting frequently. 

The buffet station at Fuller's still offers many favorites, except now servers assist customers.

To reduce the spread of the virus, in-restaurant dining was initially prohibited before being restricted to a reduced occupancy. Because most restaurants don’t have any outside dining space, the amount of customers that they can serve is very limited. Customers stay the required “social distance” of six feet from others whether standing in line to order or sitting at tables, and they also wear masks (except when they are eating or drinking) as do the servers. In addition, servers regularly disinfect surfaces, including menus, and work behind plexiglass dividers when customers may have close contact such as at a checkout counter or cash register.

Fuller's in Fayetteville, NC, is still a popular destination, although the parking lot is not as full as before the pandemic.

Fortunately, the quality of the food at barbecue restaurants doesn’t seem to be affected by the pandemic. That explains why Fuller’s Old-Fashioned Bar-B-Q in Fayetteville, NC, continues to have a steady stream of customers, albeit much slower than before the pandemic. When I visited its location in the western part of the city on Raeford Road, more than half of the customers ordered takeout rather than dine-in (where trips to the buffet counters have always been unlimited). Although I had decided in advance to take out (until I receive the virus vaccine, I’m avoiding all dining-in situations), I couldn’t help but be envious of the customers who were enjoying their food inside and returning frequently to the buffet station. 

The dessert station is still self-serve but is no longer as plentiful as before.

However, what once were several buffet stations in a central area with an extensive variety of barbecue and other protein, sides, and desserts where customers left with mounds of home-cooked food on their plates is now limited to a small station with fewer choices. Servers wait on customers there and prepare their plates—a change from pre-pandemic procedures when customers served themselves without any help at the bountiful stations. 

The "front end" of Fuller's during the pandemic isn't used.

Watching customers mingle at the stations and take their time as they decided on what to take was part of the enjoyment of eating at Fuller’s before the pandemic changed so much. The atmosphere now in the restaurant seems so lifeless as customers waiting for their take-out orders stand quietly and avoid any social contact. There is no spontaneous banter among the servers and customers, so unusual for Fuller’s, which has been family-owned for more than 30 years. Its “regulars” always seemed to know each other and share special greetings. 

Let’s hope the pandemic ends soon and everyone, whether a server or a customer, can enjoy each other’s company. Let’s also hope that our favorite barbecue places can survive and continue to serve all the barbecue and sides that we want.