Pilot House goes smoke-free

The Pilot House has gone nonsmoking.

The popular Cape Girardeau restaurant announced the policy change Friday on social media.

“Jim Byrd, the owner, he’s been thinking about it for a while and finally did it,” server Ashley Svenkerud said Friday, “to bring in more clientele and that sort of thing.”

The change follows similar policy shifts at other Cape Girardeau dining staples, including Port Cape Girardeau and Sands Pancake House.

Svenkerud said the smoke-free policy was a popular topic of conversation Friday, and she’d heard much more positive feedback than negative.

This also was reflected in the response to the social-media post, in which people appeared overwhelmingly to support the change.

“It’s for the best, and for every customer we do lose, we’ll gain five,” Svenkerud said. “A lot of people don’t want to bring their kids in [because of the smoke]. It’s small and can get pretty smoky. This way, you won’t be leaving smelling like an ashtray.”

Svenkerud, who has worked at the restaurant for about 10 months, said the smoke didn’t necessarily bother her before, but the policy change likely will make things a bit easier for employees such as her.

“I’ve been bartending my whole life,” she said. “But it will be nice when I leave here and not have to wash my clothes right away from the smell and all that.”

tgraef@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3627

Pertinent address:

3532 Perryville Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.