The summer is practically over and that means getting in some much-needed time outside of the house before the autumn chill sets in. The Covid-19 pandemic has left everyone missing the outdoors and getting some sunshine. It has left a lot of people wondering what past activities are even acceptable during this time.
As of September 2020, dining out at restaurants is acceptable, so long as you follow the proper health and safety protocol. Here are our social distancing tips for dining out.
Dine at an Outside Patio
If you’re craving your favorite restaurant meal, make sure you look up whether or not the restaurant you want to go to offers outdoor patio service. Eating inside may be allowed in your state or region, but it is not necessarily the safest course of action. It’s best to err on the side of caution and eat outside at an outdoor patio.
Dr. Stephanie E Farber for ABC News says to make sure you are able to dine out before leaving your home:
“Before choosing to dine at a particular restaurant, you should do your homework. That means checking with local public health officials to see if dining out is allowed in your state or county. It also means figuring out if you live in a place where infections are currently surging or are relatively stable.”
Follow the 6 Foot Rule
One of the most important and heavily recommended rules by medical professionals is to follow the 6-foot rule. This means staying away from anyone who is not in your household or “social circle” and keeping a physical distance. This rule also applies to anywhere you go in public, especially dining out at a restaurant. Even if you are sitting outside on a patio, you should continue to follow the 6-foot rule. Make sure the restaurant you are eating at has accommodated for this rule and is keeping patrons and staff safe.
Medical Daily further explains how we can check restaurants are following the six-foot social distancing rule:
“People should check if restaurants are following the “six-foot” rule recommended by health authorities and experts. That distance between tables provides safe spacing and lowers the chances of catching droplets released by other people in the area.”
Give Wait Staff Their Space
It is important to wait staff and restaurant staff that their service is treated with respect and patience. This is a stressful time for all of us, and restaurant workers are continuing their job despite all of the financial and physical setback. So when you’re out eating and social distancing, make sure you are applying the same physical distancing rules to the wait staff.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains why social distancing is important during the coronavirus pandemic:
“COVID-19 can live for hours or days on a surface, depending on factors such as sunlight, humidity, and the type of surface. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Social distancing helps limit opportunities to come in contact with contaminated surfaces and infected people outside the home.”
The CDC also has this video with helpful information on social distancing:
Remember when you’re picking up take-out food from your favorite restaurant, avoid people outside of your social circle. You can do this by physical distancing, staying six feet apart from people at minimum, and wearing a face mask to protect yourself and others. Check your local area or state’s guidelines before going out to eat.
Check to see if restaurant menu pricing has changed, with favourites like Cici’s Pizza, Golden Corral, and Cracker Barrel all here on our site. Check out our list of all restaurants to compare more food menus.
