Restaurants can officially open for indoor dining in Toronto on July 16, and some places are taking that very literally by opening at midnight.

Can you blame them? Many restaurants and bars in Toronto are so excited (and maybe more than a little desperate) to open their doors even for a couple hours that they don't want to wait even one more day.

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Fox on John will be reopening indoors at 12:01 a.m. on Friday with a bang, passing out free tequila shots and getting DJ Nocturnal to bring the party vibes for their "Midnight at the Fox on John" event. They'll also have special lighting to enhance the ambience.

"To prepare for the return of indoor dining, we have been growing our team and training staff to ensure the best quality customer service. We are also calling our staff in to serve just for midnight," Junior Sritharan, founder of Reign Hospitality which oversees Fox on John, tells blogTO.

"Our community and patrons are very excited about the return of indoor dining. The response has been phenomenal. We have received lots of messages inquiring about tonight, and we're anticipating a full house."

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After many hardships, Lloyd's will also be triumphantly reopening their doors to inside customers and celebrating with them at midnight, doing $5 drink specials as soon as 12:01 a.m. hits.

"We've had an overwhelming positive response form neighbours, regulars, and from people who started following us during the pandemic who have been waiting for a chance to visit us for indoor dining," Lloyd's owner Ryan Lucier tells blogTO.

Lucier went through the tragic loss of his daughter recently, and went on a trip with his wife to the United States to recuperate and grieve, where in many places restrictions have already been lowered for some time.

"After being down there and enjoying everything being open, we know how important it is for our mental health to have a semblance of normal, and a big part of our normal is indoor dining, so we welcome these changes," says Lucier.

"Obviously, for the business, it's good. Even though these days I care more about my mental health than just money."