Indoor Dining Resumes in Maryland
As of 5:00pm tonight (Friday, June 12th), Maryland restaurants and bars can now reopen their indoor dining facilities at 50% capacity. In addition, Maryland bars and breweries are required to seat all customers. Although outdoor dining has been permitted since May 29th, this new development is exciting for Maryland restaurant owners, bar owners, and patrons alike.
Governor Larry Hogan announced the re-establishment of indoor dining in a press conference on Wednesday, June 10th. Tonight’s reopening of indoor dining, as well as outdoor amusements and rides, is the newest development in Stage 2 of Governor Hogan’s Roadmap to Recovery.
Read Governor Larry Hogan’s executive order as of June 10th here.
Safety Protocols
During Wednesday’s press conference, numerous safety protocols that reopening restaurants and bars must follow were established by Governor Hogan. These protocols include:
- A requirement of table service only
- A maximum of up to 50% capacity per restaurant
- The institution of physical distancing measures
- Strict public health requirements in alignment with CDC, FDA, and National Restaurant Association guidelines
“As we take these additional steps to safely reopen…we want to continue to strongly stress the need to follow CDC and state and local health department requirements and guidelines,” stated Governor Hogan.
Watch the full press conference from Wednesday, June 10th on current and future reopenings here.
Reopenings In Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
County Executive Steuart Pittman stated that Annapolis and Anne Arundel County will reopen restaurants, bars, outdoor amusements, and rides in accordance with Governor Hogan’s executive order. In addition, County Executive Pittman and county Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman are instituting an additional requirement of face masks inside restaurants, bars, and retail businesses.
In his statement on June 11th, County Executive Pittman asserts that “the confusion created by separate rules from the state and local jurisdictions does not work…we must all be in this together.”
County Executive Pittman’s statement on reopenings in Anne Arundel County and Annapolis is found here.
Impact on Restaurants in Annapolis
The reopening of indoor dining marks a new stage in the return to normalcy for restaurants and bars in Annapolis. As restaurants and bars navigate the copious challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, adapting to new procedures and guidelines is commonplace.
Carrol’s Creek Cafe in Annapolis has made considerable alterations to its procedures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Dave Roe, Front of House Manager at Carrol’s Creek Cafe, cited significant changes at the restaurant including the elimination of table cloths and the introduction of arm hooks to assist with the touch-free opening of doors.
As Carrol’s Creek Cafe was already set up to accommodate outdoor seating prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the transition after the initial easing of restrictions was smooth according to Roe. Now that additional regulations are being lifted and indoor dining is permitted, he views this new phase with optimism. “We hope to get back to normal business,” said Roe on Friday night, “but along the lines of staying safe, sanitary, and healthy.”
Learn more about recommended practices for Maryland restaurants and bars here.
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