After several months of strictly limiting restaurants to delivery, take-out, and curb-side pickup services, cities across the U.S. have begun to allow food establishments to offer on-site dining again. 
 
Without federal regulations, decisions on reopening are left to municipal and state governments. As a result, the timing of reopening has varied significantly across the country. Cities in Texas opened indoor dining facilities on May 1st while cities like Chicago, Oakland, and Denver waited until late June and early July. There are some cities where indoor dining has yet to reopen. In the cities that allow indoor dining, both the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established guiding principles for reopening to encourage restaurants and bars to operate safely. The guiding principles, which are intended to supplement any state or local regulations, fall into the following four categories:

Social Distancing

• Limit seating capacity
• Change dining area layout to keep parties at least 6 feet apart
• Increase circulation of outdoor air by opening windows and prioritizing outdoor seating

Food Safety/Hygiene

• Avoid offering self-serve
• Disinfect frequently-touched surfaces at least daily
• Physical barriers at pickup windows and cash registers
• Ensure adequate supplies: soap, hand sanitize, disinfect wipes, masks, no-touch trash cans
• Routine cleaning schedule

Employee Wellness

• Encourage sick or potentially infected employees to stay home
• Require frequent employee handwashing
• Require the use of cloth face coverings among all staff
• Establish flexible work schedules for employees

 

Operations

• Reduce the use of shared items (menus, condiments, utensils)
• Use touchless payment options when available
• Post signs and messages that promote safe customer practices

Starting in March 2020, state and local governments worked with businesses to ensure that precautions are taken for the safety of their residents. Simultaneously, cities are eager to sustain and rebuild local businesses after months of economic distress. With many food establishments forced to shutter or transition to takeout only service, the pandemic has led to widespread job loss in the restaurant industry. Local governments’ handling of this balance between the health of their residents and the strength of their economy has varied significantly across the U.S, depending on state guidance, local regulation, and rates of community transmission of COVID-19.

Drexel University, September 2020