With just about 50 days to go before the statewide smoking ban kicks in, many restaurants say they are already smoke-free. Others say they are still deciding whether to spend the extra money to cater to smokers.
Customers can smell the food cooking but they will not smell any cigarette smoke at the Do-Nut Dinette. It's already smoke free.
Greg Pastore made it that way when he bought the place 4 years ago. He said that's what customers wanted.
A lot of the customers that came here previous to me owning it and quit because of the smoking they came back.
Governor Tim Kaine promoted the upcoming statewide restaurant and bar smoking ban yesterday when he stopped by Panera bread in Ghent.
"If you work in a restaurant that allows smoking, your lung cancer risk is double that of the normal population, which is a very serious thing."
The smoking ban starts December 1st aimed at creating smoke free restaurants but allowing smoking on open patios outside.
Restaurants and bars can get around the ban by having separately ventilated smoking areas.
"I don't know if anybody is going to spend the money. You are talking about a lot of money," says Greg Pastore.
Some restaurants say it is just too expensive to make a separate room with ventilation but Plaza Del Sol in Norfolk says they will cater to both non smokers and smokers.
Leticia Alonso owns Plaza Del Sol. She said she's been working to get a separate room ventilated so she can have smokers.
"We have been working on this renovation for at least a year."
They've added sliding windows and they already have a separate door to the main restaurant for the non smokers. It'll be completely sealed off from the rest of the restaurant.
"Once I see what we need to do for ventilation we will take it from there and see what we need to do in this room."
NewsChannel 3 called Jimmy's family seafood and steakhouse in Virginia Beach. They have a separate room with ventilation and the ability to have a separate room for smokers but the owner says he is leaning toward having a smoke free restaurant because that is what the customers want.
Customers can smell the food cooking but they will not smell any cigarette smoke at the Do-Nut Dinette. It's already smoke free.
Greg Pastore made it that way when he bought the place 4 years ago. He said that's what customers wanted.
A lot of the customers that came here previous to me owning it and quit because of the smoking they came back.
Governor Tim Kaine promoted the upcoming statewide restaurant and bar smoking ban yesterday when he stopped by Panera bread in Ghent.
"If you work in a restaurant that allows smoking, your lung cancer risk is double that of the normal population, which is a very serious thing."
The smoking ban starts December 1st aimed at creating smoke free restaurants but allowing smoking on open patios outside.
Restaurants and bars can get around the ban by having separately ventilated smoking areas.
"I don't know if anybody is going to spend the money. You are talking about a lot of money," says Greg Pastore.
Some restaurants say it is just too expensive to make a separate room with ventilation but Plaza Del Sol in Norfolk says they will cater to both non smokers and smokers.
Leticia Alonso owns Plaza Del Sol. She said she's been working to get a separate room ventilated so she can have smokers.
"We have been working on this renovation for at least a year."
They've added sliding windows and they already have a separate door to the main restaurant for the non smokers. It'll be completely sealed off from the rest of the restaurant.
"Once I see what we need to do for ventilation we will take it from there and see what we need to do in this room."
NewsChannel 3 called Jimmy's family seafood and steakhouse in Virginia Beach. They have a separate room with ventilation and the ability to have a separate room for smokers but the owner says he is leaning toward having a smoke free restaurant because that is what the customers want.
