Manco & Manco to begin reopening Ocean City locations following COVID-19 outbreak among employees

Manco & Manco Pizza has started to reopen its locations along the Ocean City, New Jersey Boardwalk through a multi-phase process following a coronavirus outbreak among three of the restaurant’s employees, the Manco family announced in a statement on social media. 

The establishment’s Ninth Street location reopened on Sunday afternoon for delivery and pickup service for whole pizza pies, fried food, and beverages. Single slices will be made available again at a later date in the near future.

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Manco & Manco’s 12th street location will reopen soon too, the Manco Family said, but a specific date has not been given yet. 

The decision to begin reopening its Ocean City Boardwalk locations comes as only one COVID-19 test result came back positive after Manco & Manco required all 200-plus staff members to get tested for the virus.

The individual who tested positive is currently asymptomatic and is in self-quarantine for two weeks, the Manco Family said. 

As locations begin to reopen, the Manco Family also reminded customers that face coverings must be worn when interacting with restaurant employees.

Manco & Manco announced earlier this week that it was temporarily closing both locations on the Ocean City Boardwalk for sanitation and cleaning after three employees tested positive for COVID-19.

The three employees who tested positive are self-isolating for two weeks and will be retested before returning for work. One is experiencing symptoms, while the other two are currently asymptomatic.

Single slice pizza sales were suspended as a result of the outbreak.

Masks, temperature checks, and routine hand washing and sanitizing already had been required of Manco & Manco employees prior to these three positive tests.

The restaurant chain will now be sanitizing high-touch surfaces by "making use of UV-C light technology" to clean areas such as credit card terminals and touch screen tablets and computers. “Safety seals" meant to help prevent COVID-19 spread by touch will be applied to all boxes of pizza.

Manco & Manco opened its first pizzeria on the boardwalk in 1956 (It was formerly named Mack & Manco until 2011). It has restaurants on the Ocean City boardwalk at Eighth, Ninth and 12th streets, in addition to the Somers Point store in the Ocean Heights Shopping Center. 

Outdoor dining has been permitted in New Jersey since last month, but indoor dining remains banned across the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pickup and delivery service has been allowed during the entire public health crisis.