BROOKFIELD — At Brookfield's Vino Cappuccino, it's safety first and then good food. This restaurant has done everything from putting up partitions to placing personal hand sanitizer at tables to make sure customers feel safe enjoying their meal.
"We believe in safety for everybody, customers and employees," says Andreas Protopapas, owner of Vino Cappuccino.
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Protopapas has served Italian masterpieces for almost a decade. But when COVID-19 hit Wisconsin, Andreas did whatever he could to avoid closing. That included making a two-for-one pizza and pasta special an option for customers every day.
"The to-go special that we have, the two-for-one pizza and pasta is going to stay until the pandemic is over," says Andreas.
The popular match has helped him offer servers a livable wage without tips.
"Everyone went up to 15 bucks an hour. So this way everyone had money to support their family," says Andreas.
Now able to seat guests on their patio and inside, Vino Cappuccino continues to put people before profits.
"Everyone says they appreciate what we have done outside for us. They feel very safe. Every night we have the patio totally full. We used to have 15 tables outside now we only have eight. But it's better to feel safe than be sorry," says Andreas.
In return for their efforts, Andreas believes his community will continue to help them get through these tough times.
"As I told you we opened at 40 percent. It's not enough, but we try to make it. We believe in the end everything is going to come back more and more because of what we have done," says Andreas.
Visit Vino Cappuccino on the corner of River and Brookfield Rd., in Brookfield. They are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.