As cities begin to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant industry is also welcoming customers back to its tables and we're getting a glimpse of our new normal. But should you really go out to eat while the coronavirus pandemic continues? And if you do, what steps can you take to make sure you stay safe?
Business owners have a responsibility to their employees and customers to create as safe an environment as possible. So start by doing some research ahead of time to see what precautions the restaurant is taking. Do they have outdoor seating? Are they taking reservations only to avoid crowding while people wait? Are they encouraging staff to take paid sick days if they’re not feeling well?
Most of this isn’t in your control, but you can choose restaurants that have made these precautions a priority. There are also some actions you can take to keep yourself safe when you’re out, like wearing a mask when possible and keeping up your hand hygiene. And, of course, wherever you go, tip your servers well.
Restaurants pose some unique risks.
The new coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 infection, is spread mainly via respiratory droplets that people expel when coughing or sneezing. So wearing a mask is one of a few important public health behaviors we can take right now that drastically reduces the chances of spreading the coronavirus—especially if you’re in close proximity with another person for more than a few minutes.
However, at a restaurant, you won’t be wearing a mask while you’re eating, nor will other patrons. And you’ll be sitting very near the people you’re going out with. That means you likely won’t be able to maintain two of our most useful precautions—social distancing and wearing a mask—while dining at a restaurant. With what we know about COVID-19 in mind, a restaurant may create some unique opportunities for the virus to spread.
Therefore, the first step in going out to eat (or going anywhere in public, really) is deciding how essential this activity is to you, Lindsey Gottlieb, M.D., director of infection prevention at Mount Sinai Morningside, tells SELF. Is it worth the risk to you, personally? Is it worth the risks to those you live with, the other customers at the restaurant, and the employees? For some people, going to a restaurant may have real emotional or mental health benefits, and they may decide that it’s something they still want to do. But for others, takeout or delivery is just fine.
If you do decide to go out to a restaurant while the COVID-19 pandemic continues, there are some ways to make the activity a bit safer.
Sit outside if at all possible.
You’re less likely to spread the virus if you’re outside in an area with open airflow than if you’re in a closed, cramped indoor area, Humberto Choi, M.D., a pulmonary and critical care specialist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. So, he says, eating outside in a patio area is safer than eating inside. And, now that summer is here, many restaurants have already made strides in opening outdoor eating areas.
Eat out only with the people you live with.
Recognize that going out to eat right now will not be like the Before Times. To avoid the spread of the coronavirus, it’s smart to eat only with the people you already live with, meaning you shouldn’t meet up with friends for dinner, Dr. Choi says. That way, if someone in the group is infected, they won’t be exposing anyone who wouldn’t likely already have been exposed just via shared living spaces.
But, even among those you live with, it’s a good idea to eat out with as few other people as you can stand. “We want to keep our circles of people who we’re exposing as small as possible,” Dr. Gottlieb says.
If you really need to eat with your friends, consider getting your food to-go and having a well-distanced picnic at a park or other outdoor area (without sharing utensils, of course). Spending time with anyone you don’t already live with opens up the possibility for spreading the virus, but sitting in an outdoor space where you can sit at least six feet from the people you don’t live with does help reduce the risk. However, it won’t eliminate the risk entirely.
Keep up your hand hygiene, of course.
Proper hand hygiene isn’t just about washing your hands for 30 seconds; it’s also about washing your hands frequently—and making sure you always do it at certain times, like before you eat, Dr. Choi says. Eating is an easy way to accidentally transfer germs from your fingers to your mouth, eyes, or nose. So washing them before you eat (or using hand sanitizer) can help keep you safe.
To be clear, this was always the advice from public health authorities, even pre-coronavirus. Hopefully, this reminder is redundant and you’re just sitting there thinking, Gosh, obviously, I already do this flawlessly! But now, with COVID-19 hanging around, it’s especially important to keep it up.
If you start to feel uncomfortable, make a polite exit.
Maybe you get to the restaurant or even get halfway through your meal when the place starts to get too crowded. Or you start to notice that the mask protocol there is a little too loose for your comfort. In those cases, remember that it’s totally okay to tell the waitstaff you need to pay your bill and leave. You can even tell them you’ll be waiting outside while they bring it out to you, Dr. Gottlieb says. Although these conversations may be a little awkward, it’s something we’re all going to need to get more comfortable with, Dr. Choi says, especially as we start venturing out into public places more regularly.
Ultimately, there’s no way to make going out in public with other people entirely risk-free right now. But you—and restaurant owners—can do your part to vet the restaurants you want to eat at and to keep yourself and your waitstaff as safe as possible by taking some commonsense precautions.
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