Dining out and trying new restaurants has become an increasingly popular pastime over the years. Whether you’re a food enthusiast, blogger, celebrating a special occasion, or simply just don’t want to cook, there’s a restaurant for everybody.
However, Covid-19 has changed the previous dynamics of the dine-in experience since restaurants are now mandated to follow strict protocols to ensure the safety of their guests. The once cozy, sociable oriented experience has undergone some serious changes.
Nassau County resumed indoor dining in late June during phase three of the state’s reopening from coronavirus stay-at-home orders. An ‘Interim Guidance For Food Services During the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency’ was released by the Department of Health and was divided into three distinct categories: people, places, and processes.
Each category contains policies and procedures that were to be followed upon reopening which change the dynamics of the dine-in experience that we all once knew. The CDC also released considerations for restaurants and bars in which the Department of Health implemented new protocols that stray far from previous ones. According to the CDC, restaurants are to make changes that include “changing restaurant and bar layouts to ensure that all customer parties remain at least six feet apart, as well as limiting seating capacity to allow for social distancing.” Additionally, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that restaurants and bars statewide must only serve alcohol to people who are ordering/eating food which means no more casual drink dates, or a night out at the bar with the guys.
Socially distanced tables at City Cellar in Westbury, NY. Photo Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
To ensure these rules and regulations are being complied with, Cuomo implemented a ‘Three Strikes and You’re Closed’ initiative which states “any establishment that receives three violations will be closed for business.”
While these new regulations without a doubt differ from dining-in during Pre-Covid-19, many new changes were made in the food service industry. When asked about her feelings towards the changes, Ashley Johnson, a server at Olive Garden in Valley Stream, stated, “Personally I actually like it, I feel like we should have been doing all of this. Everyone was too close together and we should be staying clean and safe on a regular basis.” Other servers however have voiced differing opinions. They feel while being clean and safe should always be a priority, the new changes have definitely resulted in a decline in business which they are not happy about.
