Pastor Jeff at his bar.
Pastor Jeff at his bar.
Well thank goodness, I have never been so happy to be wrong. Yesterday we heard that more restrictions were coming to help curtail the spike in COVID cases. Many in the restaurant industry were convinced it meant another lockdown, thankfully it did not.
Today the Gov announced a list of new restrictions, acknowledging that he was basically Reverend Shaw from Footloose: No Dancing, No Fun. Here's how this goes for restaurants and bars:
- They get to stay at 50% capacity, but the max count is 150 which includes indoor and outdoor dining. The 10 people at a table max still holds.
- There is no bar seating or service anywhere in the state anymore. Up to now, Mpls. was the only city with a bar restriction, so that's new for the majority of the state. Will have to understand how this affects sushi bar seating, but I think no service is no service. The only counter service is pickup from counter service concept eateries (Subway, food halls, etc.).
- No standing, no playing. Everyone has to be seated at a table. No throwing darts or playing pool or vids.
- Everything has to be closed and done by 10pm, no dine in service from that point until 4am. That probably means you are not being seated past 9pm and last call will be at 9:30pm? Takeout and delivery will still be permitted past 10pm.
- It all goes into effect on Friday the 13th. oooooooh.
So, it feels to many restaurant people that this was a middle of the road measure. And Walz as much as said, a total shutdown would have closed many of these small businesses for good. Since this all started we lost 380,000 jobs and paid out $8.5 billion in unemployment. It's not a choice between public health OR the economy, it has to be a balance to work. For everyone who screams at me that we need to SHUT IT ALL DOWN, I've been asking: are you able to work from home? Nearly all say yes, which is nice for them.
Walz also said that he understood that this felt like an unfair focus on one industry, but that "it's not about the business, it's about the setting where the virus thrives," apparently you scented candle buyers and gym goers are not as in danger of infecting and infection. But he did take a moment to point out how incredibly hard the industry has been working to stay alive and keep people safe. So it's not just restaurants and bars, it's social life that's getting pinched:
- Social gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors AND outdoors (looking at you scented candle parties).
- Only up to 3 households may gather together within that 10 person limit. So single people your gathering will be three.
- Takes effect at 10pm on Friday the 13th as well.
That might drastically change your Thanksgiving plans, and the Gov suggested that maybe supporting a restaurant with takeout might be a good way to celebrate (drops list of Thanksgiving Takeout 2020.)
There are also new restrictions for receptions and events, with a phased approach. Starting Nov. 27th there will be a 50 person limit. Starting Dec. 11th, a 25 person limit. They too must be wrapped up and cleared out by 10pm. Actual wedding ceremonies and funerals are unchanged, this is only the after party part.
WHAT ALL THIS MEANS IS SLOW YOUR PARTY ROLL. The curfew is in place because they have data which shows infection rates doubling after 9pm. This has more to do with patrons than businesses, people in the danger age group of 20-34 and their propensity to gather in larger numbers later in the evening, and laxing their good masking and distance habits as the boozy night rolls on. Don't pretend that doesn't happen. Can you imagine the pre-Turkey Wednesday party night without a curfew? All the jammed together fun, then go see grammie for turkey the next day?
Of course, there are a bunch of loose establishments (in the city and out of the city) that seem to aid that in happening, and they are being put on notice. And honestly, I don't even want to talk about how outstate bars are going to ignore all of this while their hospitals fill up. This is a team effort. Other cities, states, and countries have been doing this curfew thing: is it working? Mixed data. We'll see.
Truth be told, restaurants have been seeing a dip in the later night rezzies anyway. Whether that has to do with the seasonal darkness or the fear of case counts is unclear. It's probably a combo-deal.
What I'm most worried about is our dive bars, like Palmer's, Grumpy's, and Meteor whose business wasn't made of partybar drinkers anyway, but definitely had a late-night following. I would ask that you slip them into your rotation for an early bump here and there.
The good news is that many service workers get to keep their jobs in front of the holiday season. Many restaurant owners will continue to find a way to squeak by and maybe not lose their homes. So many more can keep fighting for the HEROES Act to be signed and remain a part of our community.
This isn't over and this might not be the last batch of new restrictions. They cautioned that although we are not currently in a state of panic (especially given the case counts in surrounding states,) they could not stress enough how quickly and dramatically rates can change if steps aren't taken.
Takeout, mask up, eat and drink local. We clearly want to get through this winter and find a hearty patio season on the other side.
