QUEENS, N.Y. - At Bel-Aire Diner in Astoria, the return of indoor dining has been a long time coming. 

“They told us six weeks. It’s been six months," said Kal Dellaportas, owner of the Bel-Aire Diner. "And we’re really super psyched.”

They’ve been preparing for its return for the past three weeks, ever since Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a laundry list of new regulations restaurant owners would have to follow if they wanted to offer an indoor option to customers.

At Bel-Aire, the hostess now takes your temperature upon arrival, and at least one guest has to leave contact information behind.

“It’s just a matter of teaching staff how to check people in, making sure that between meals, each customer, that the tables are properly sanitized,” Dellaportas said.

And no matter how popular, you shouldn’t see packed restaurants for some time. There’s a limit. Only 25 percent capacity is currently allowed.

Those who asked to be seated inside said all the precautions make them feel more comfortable dining indoors once again.

“It’s very comfortable here, very comfortable, cool and the food is good," said one customer. “I prefer indoor.” 

“As long as you know that they are following the rules, and you’re following the rules, you should have no problem," said one customer.

But the situation hasn’t been smooth sailing for everyone. At Katch, also in Astoria, customers were still eating outside. The owners said they had trouble getting newly required air filters called MERV-13.

“We tracked down a couple of places online to get them because anything local, nobody really carries them," said Bill McSorley, the owner of Katch Astoria. "We were supposed to have some yesterday. They didn't come in.”

Fortunately for them, they have an extensive outdoor seating area. But they aren’t the only ones who’ve run into the same problem. 

“We’re not quite ready yet," said Katherine Fuchs, the owner and chef at The Thirsty Koala. "We brought in people to clean our HVAC system. We wanted to make sure we had the proper filters in place.”

Both Fuchs and McSorely said they aren’t worried about starting indoor dining a little later than others. Their primary concern, now and always, is safety.