It's the ultimate small business riddle: How do you fill your restaurant when you can't let anyone in?
The Dellaportis family adapted big time after Gov. Andrew Cuomo allowed the drive-in theater, a relic of yesteryear, that is also a socially distant activity.
So at Astoria's Bel Aire Diner, they transformed their parking lot into a movie theater. On Wednesday, there were two showings of "Dirty Dancing" with a side of dinner.
"It's a great idea and I really thank them so much because it gave us something to do," one patron said.
There is growing evidence to justify the snail's pace of progress in reopening New York, when compared to the rest of the country.
There is word that some states that moved more quickly are already paying a steep price. An internal White house document shows cases spiking from Nashville to Des Moines.
But back at the make-shift drive-in in Astoria, all they wanted to do was set their worries aside and try to survive in an uneasy time.
MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE
COVID-19 Help, Information and Resources
UPDATES
[Ads /]
New York state
New Jersey
Connecticut
Long Island
Grieving the lost: Tri-State residents who have died
[Ads /]
RELATED INFORMATION
[Ads /]
Share your coronavirus story with Eyewitness News
Stimulus check scams and other coronavirus hoaxes
Coronavirus prevention: how clean are your hands?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
Total count of NYC COVID-19 cases based on patient address