Across the country, businesses are getting the green light to begin reopening in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the green light comes a list of precautions and restrictions that businesses, especially restaurants, are required to follow. The purpose of precautions and restrictions is to ensure that the virus is not spread among patrons and employees in these establishments.
Best Practices for Restaurants Reopening to Customers
The CDC has done a great job of advising restaurant management on how to handle the reopening process. They have issued guidelines that should be followed to ensure safety for staff and patrons inside of these restaurants and businesses.
The CDC has done a great job of advising restaurant management on how to handle the reopening process. They have issued guidelines that should be followed to ensure safety for staff and patrons inside of these restaurants and businesses.
Pre-screening Employees
- Employers should implement procedures that include pre-screening employees as they come into work. Temperature and symptom checks should happen before the employee enters the building to ensure they do not carry in any illness.
Monitoring
- As long as an employee presents with no symptoms and lacks a temperature, they can self-monitor during their shift.
Masks
- Employees should wear a facemask for at least 14 days following any exposure. An employer can issue facemasks or approve cloth face coverings worn during shift. Many restaurants are requiring all employees to wear masks regardless of exposure.
Social Distancing
- Employees should maintain six feet of distance and properly practice social distancing while doing duties at work if it is permitted.
Clean and Disinfecting
- All areas of the restaurant should routinely be cleaned and sanitized. These areas include bathrooms, offices, electronic equipment, and other common areas.
State Restaurant Reopening Strategies
At this time, all restaurants across the United States are open in some capacity. Even though they cannot serve a full capacity restaurant, they are offering curbside, delivery, and carry out orders.
Alabama
- Eight-person limit in one dining party
- Tables six feet apart
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Alaska
- Open to 100% capacity
- Reservations recommended but not required
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Arizona
- Occupancy reduced based on restaurant size
- Limit of ten people per dining party
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Arkansas
- 33% capacity
- Limit of ten people per dining party
- Bars remain closed to dine-in, but those inside restaurants can open
California
- Reopening dependant on county
- Follow social distancing measures
- Bars that do not serve food remain closed
Colorado
- 50% capacity or 50 diners total, whichever comes first
- Tables six feet apart
- Eight person limit on dining parties
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Connecticut
- 50% capacity
- Outdoor dining only
- Tables six feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
District of Columbia
- Outdoor dining only
- Six person limit to dining parties
- Tables six feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Delaware
- 30% capacity
- Reservation only
- Tables required to be eight feet apart
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Florida
- 50% capacity
- Tables outside must be six feet apart
- Reopening of bars dependant on the county and social distancing
Georgia
- Limit of ten patrons per 500 square foot area
- Limit of six people per dining party
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Illinois
- Dining outdoors only
- Tables required to be six feet apart
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Indiana
- 50% capacity
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Iowa
- 50% capacity
- Six person limit for dining parties
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Idaho
- No strict limits for dining
Recommendations include:
- 50% capacity
- Six person limit for dining parties
- Tables ten feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Kansas
- Ten person limit for dining parties
- If limits met, tables must be six feet apart
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Kentucky
- 33% capacity
- No capacity limits for outdoor dining areas
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Louisiana
- 25% capacity for indoor dining
- Tables required to be ten feet apart
- No strict outdoor dining other than using social distancing
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Maine
- Counties determine reopening
- Follow social distancing measures
- Reservation and call-ahead services only
- Tables required to be six feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Massachusetts
- Outdoor dining only
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Limit of six people in a dining party
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
Michigan
- 50% capacity
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Minnesota
- Outdoor dining only
- Four people per dining party, six can be permitted if family members
- Tables six feet apart
- Bars open for outdoor service with capacity limits and social distancing
Mississippi
- 50% capacity
- Six person dining party limits
- Bars that do not serve food must remain closed
Missouri
- No strict capacity limits for dining
- Tables must be spaced with social distancing in mind
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Montana
- 75% capacity
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Nebraska
- 50% capacity
- Bars remain closed
Nevada
- 50% capacity
- Tables six feet apart
- Bars open for business
New Hampshire
- No dine-in services available
- Outdoor seating with reservation or call-ahead
- Tables six feet apart
- Social distancing implemented
- Dining party cannot exceed six people
- Bars remain closed
New York
- No dine-in permitted
- Only outdoor seating can be accommodated
- Tables must remain six feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
North Carolina
- 50% capacity
- Tables six feet apart
- Bars remain closed to dine-in
North Dakota
- 50% capacity
- Bars open to 50% capacity limit and standing is not permitted
Ohio
- Parties limited to ten people
- Tables required to be six feet apart
- Bars open for indoor and outdoor with capacity limits and social distancing
Oklahoma
- Tables required to be six feet apart
- Bars remain closed
Oregon
- Tables six feet apart
- Dining parties limited to ten people
- Food and drink services required to end by 10 PM
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Rhode Island
- Outdoor dining only
- Tables must be eight feet apart
- Five person limit to dining parties
- Bars remain closed
South Carolina
- Social distancing measures are recommended for dining but are not enforced
South Dakota
- Social distancing measures are recommended for dining but are not enforced
Tennessee
- 75% capacity
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Six person limit for dining parties
- Bars remain closed
Texas
- 75% capacity
- Capacity limits do not apply for outdoor seating
- Bars open to 50% capacity
Utah
- 50% capacity
- Tables required to be six feet apart
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Washington
- 50% capacity
- Five person limit to dining parties
- Bars remain closed
West Virginia
- 50% capacity
- Tables must be six feet apart
- Six person limit to dining parties
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Wisconsin
- No restrictions made statewide
- Limits up to counties
- Bar openings up to the counties
Wyoming
- Tables six feet apart
- Limit of six people to a dining party
- Bars open with capacity limits and social distancing
Guidelines Dependent on State Government
Although most of these states have reopened dining in some fashion that does not require curbside or delivery, others are still being cautious as to reopening with no restrictions. Due to the lack of knowledge on how the Coronavirus could evolve, it is not clear if harsher restrictions will appear in the future for restaurants and dining. At this time, these are the methods of reopening that the states released to create some normalcy and bring back the economy.