SAN ANTONIO — It is back to business for Texas.
Wednesday marked the first day of the state's rolled-back pandemic mandates. Businesses can operate at 100%, and masks aren't required unless an individual business says otherwise.
Julian Maya, assistant general manager at Chicken N Pickle, said seeing customers on Tuesday was a welcome sight.
"It is a great thing to see, especially after a trying year we just had," he said. "It is really awesome to see everyone out here again."
For some businesses, Wednesday marked the first time in about a year that they've been able to operate under zero restrictions.
"We are being cautious on how many guests on property," Maya said.
But while this San Antonio restaurant isn't mandating masks from customers, employees at Chicken N Pickle will still be wearing a face covering.
"If guests feel like they need to distance themselves, they have plenty of space to do so," Maya said.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff are relying on businesses to operate safely. They said a majority of local owners are still going to require masks.
"Enjoy yourself, but wear a mask," Nirenberg said Wednesday when asked about visitors returning to businesses this week.
Leaders are worried about possible confrontations from people refusing to wear masks if a business is making it mandatory. As of Wednesday, Wolff said the sheriff did not respond to any of those types of calls.
While it is up to businesses to require masks, an amendment to the joint city and county executive order states they still must post visible signage of their health guidelines.