written by ERICA DICK. August 29th, 2020
We’re all missing different things in quarantine. For some, it might be vacations, for others it might be movies and for lots, it’s going to restaurants. I myself honestly felt no need to dine out once corona hit. As somebody who loves to cook, I knew I was safer and more satisfied eating food cooked and eaten inside my own home. However, when my mom’s birthday rolled around about 4 months into quarantine, she wanted to do something different. And the only activity that seemed feasible was going to a restaurant for dinner. I’m here to tell you it wasn’t as scary as I thought, and with these tips, you can enjoy dining out safely in COVID.
First, always call ahead:
It’s really important to know what kind of precautions a restaurant is taking to make sure they’re following CDC guidelines and not putting you or their employees at risk. When we called ahead, we were informed that all tables were over 6ft apart on the patio, there were plexiglass panels in between every table, and all servers were required to wear masks and shields. This ensured we would feel safe the entire night.
Second, know the crowd:
Since this one outing was for a special occasion, my parents chose a restaurant that was definitely on the fancier side. This meant that the clientele was slightly pretentious and seemed to ignore some of the precautions, clearly believing rules didn’t apply to them. People were using the bathroom without masks, eating in large, rowdy groups and seemed completely unaware of the people around them which made us extremely uncomfortable. We collectively decided that the experience would have been ten times more enjoyable if we went to a small, neighborhood place where guests would’ve been more chill and actually respected the staff and their rules.
Third, decide who you want to support:
To expand off of tip number two, almost everyone has family-owned, neighborhood restaurants that they’ve come to love. Since so many hospitality businesses are suffering in Covid, eating out is a great opportunity to support small, local shops that you care about. That’s why it’s really important when choosing a restaurant in Covid times not just to think about what kind of food you’re in the mood for, but what local restaurant could benefit off of your business. At the end of the day, you will also lose out if your favorite restaurant ends up closing and you have no beloved places to eat when this is all over.
Fourth, be respectful:
While you may be at a restaurant for just a few hours one night, the waiters are there multiple days a week. This puts them exponentially more at risk for getting sick. That’s why it’s important to wear a mask when you get up from the table, or to even wear one when the waiters come to take your orders. Yes, being there is their job, but doing everything you can to protect them is the moral thing to do. Plus, you could also be putting other guests at risk if you don’t take these precautions. And who wants to be the asshole that gets an entire restaurant sick?
Fifth, and finally, try to relax:
I won’t lie. Dining out in corona does not feel anything close to a normal experience. I highly recommend not going out with people who aren’t in your quarantine bubble, as that completely defeats the safety guidelines. That being said, if you are there with people in your quarantine pod and the restaurant is following all CDC guidelines, you should be completely fine. So try your hardest to enjoy the experience for what it is and not worry about the state of the world.
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