Healthy DFW Fast Fast Food Chain Start Shutters

Welcome to AM Intel in the time of coronavirus, a round-up of the city’s newest bits of restaurant-related intel. Follow Eater on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date details on how COVID-19 is impacting the city’s dining scene.

North Dallas music venue Gas Monkey Live has closed

Gas Monkey Live, the music venue owned by reality TV star and hot rod restorer Richard Rawlings, has closed. CultureMap reports that the concert hall, which has been closed since March due to social distancing measures, will be folded into its sister restaurant Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill. The restaurant is currently being renovated, including the addition of a bigger stage for concerts that were originally scheduled at the shuttered venue. Gas Monkey Live was well-known for hosting metal bands like Ministry and Mastadon. Rawlings, who stars in the Discover Channel show Fast N’ Loud, about rebuilding old cars, also owns Gas Monkey Garage.

Start Restaurant calls it quits

“Hand-made in a hurry” restaurant Start, which was known for fresh food takes on fast food staples, has shuttered after eight years. A message posted to Start’s website reads that the restaurants will be closing immediately and indefinitely due to the coronavirus. Owner Erin McKool also announced the closures in a video posted to Facebook, writing that her son has told her to keep an open mind about that future, and that she is focusing her energy for now on writing a cookbook.

Abbott says food courts can now reopen

In an update to his Open Texas plan, Governor Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that food courts dining areas within shopping malls are allowed to reopen immediately, the Dallas Business Journal reports. The move is a amendment to Abbott’s order issued May 18 which allowed shopping malls to reopen at 25% so long as food courts, play areas and other entertainment areas remained closed.