Regular customer Freda Arama, with Barrow Boys barista Miles Toto, was stoked to return to her pre-work coffee ritual. Photo / Peter de Graaf
What does threedom taste like?
Well for some Northlanders it was takeaways, with people getting breakfast at fast food joints across the region.
In Whangārei Temania Clark-Burmett, 23, was one of the first Northlanders in line to catch her level 3 McDonalds fix at the Bank St restaurant.
Clark-Burmett said since she was up at 6am anyway thanks to her six-month-old son, she thought she'd hit the queue early to get a spot in line.
Around 10 cars were waiting to go through around 6.30am.
But a small number of McDonalds fans had been queued in Bank St since 5.30am waiting for the drive-thru to open.
Clark-Burmett enjoyed this morning's long awaited McMuffin after weeks of home made meals.
"It was good to have something different, she said.
McDonalds and KFC were her favourite fast food joints in the city, so she was looking forward to later today when KFC welcomed diners back via drivethru.
McDonald's spokesperson Simon Kenny said staff had been busy this morning getting all six restaurants across Northland ready to open by 7am.
"Our franchisee and her team need to get into the restaurants, check and calibrate equipment, clean and sanitise, get alert level 3 processes and equipment in place and receive stock deliveries," Kenny said.
"The restaurants will offer Drive-Thru and the Whangārei restaurants can also offer McDelivery."
Kenny said Northland's McDonalds would have a restricted a menu under alert level 3 - same as everywhere else in the country.
Takeaway coffee was also on the menu for many as cafes reopened for contactless service.
There was also more traffic on the road this morning and people returned to work.
Customers were trickling at Kamo McDonalds. However, most vehicles had a full carload of people grabbing a bite to eat.
Swade Baker, 19, had just wrapped up a night shift in Countdown and was glad to be able to grab a quick breakfast from the store.
"I was pretty excited," Baker said.
In less than five minutes seven cars have lined up to get their hands on some KFC from the Whangārei Bank St restaurant.
Levi and Hinemoa Carroll were first in line at 9.54am, keen to satisfy their lockdown craving for some wicked wings and chicken drumsticks.
When asked how it felt to be the first people in Whangārei to get KFC in this alert level 3, the pair just laughed.
Levi said the pair learned to get here early from last alert level 3 when the queue was mammoth.
The Carrolls had enjoyed some home cooked meals in the past weeks but said they'd been looking forward to getting that takeaway fix.
Plus, Hinemoa added, "you take it for granted."
Meanwhile in Kerikeri, Kaitaia-based T8 traffic control had set up a dedicated lane on the town's main street for the expected queues at McDonald's drive-through.
Unlike the rush at the start of level 3 last year, however, there was no line of traffic snaking around the car park and only a few vehicles in the drive-through at 8am.
It was a different story across the road at Barrow Boys Coffee where a steady stream of regulars were getting their first barista-made flat whites in more than a fortnight.
One of the first in line was school administrator Freda Arama, who was on her way to work at Kerikeri High.
It had been a long time between coffees so she was stoked to return to her pre-work ritual.
''The team here is great, they're really friendly and hospitable and the coffee's great,'' she said.
Cafe staff had set up a paywave terminal on an outside table with pick-up from a separate window and 2m distancing strictly observed.
Co-owner Leanne Boyer-Toto said it had been a tough few weeks at level 4 while the business was closed but the first day at level 3 had started well with a steady stream of customers, many of them familiar faces.
''It's our first day open again and it's new territory so we'll see how it goes. We're definitely seeing a lot of regulars getting their fix."
They were planning to stay open this weekend in a bid to catch up on lost income.
''You've got to make an effort,'' she said.
The Government put Northland into level 3 from 11.59pm last night, joining the rest of the country - bar Auckland - at alert level 3 from tonight. Auckland will stay at level 4 for up to two weeks.
The moved was confirmed after no cases of Covid were found anywhere in Northland and wastewater testing results from across the region came back with no signs of Covid in them.
This has come as great relief for the region, which can now open up more under level 3 - but there are still strict rules about wearing face masks when inside public buildings such as supermarkets and dairies.
Police checkpoints aiming to prevent illegal travel during lockdown shifted about 15km south to Auckland's northern border las night to stop anybody fleeing Auckland to head north.
Level 3 changes:
With Northland dropping to level 3 the changes aren't be huge - but there is more to it than "level 4 with takeaways".
Northlanders will still have to stay in their household bubbles, but those bubbles can be expanded to include close family and whanau or to bring in caregivers or support isolated people. Gatherings of up to 10 people are permitted but only for weddings and civil unions, funerals and tangihanga/hui mate. Physical distancing and public health measures are still required.
Travel continues to be limited to work, shopping or exercise in the local area. Travel between regions is restricted to essential services.
Level 3 does open up a lot more recreation activity, including surfing (going to your local break only), day tramps, mountain biking on easy trails, swimming in safe local spots and horse riding.
People taking part in water activities should stay within 200m of the shore. Stores such as Mitre 10, The Warehouse and Bunnings will remain closed but can offer contactless "click and collect" or delivery.
Cafes, restaurants and takeaways can open for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive-through. However, on-site dining is not permitted.
Face masks are still required on public transport, at healthcare facilities, and inside any businesses permitted at level 3 that involve customer contact such as supermarkets, pharmacies and takeaways.
A rāhui has been placed on Bland Bay and will be lifted at 12pm on Thursday.