Local Restaurants, Hair Salons to Reopen Today Under Strict Guidelines

BY: DAVID SHEPHERD, NEWS DIRECTOR

AREA WIDE -- Local restaurants can reopen their dinning rooms throughout most of the state today. But, if you do eat out, you can expect to see some big changes.

Dinning rooms may open Monday at 50% capacity.  Servers and kitchen staff will be required to wear face coverings and employees will have their temperature checked before their shift begins.

Restaurant dinning rooms will need to practice social distancing, so tables will be moved or blocked off so your further away from other diners.  Tables and chairs will also need to be cleaned and sanitized after each use.

If you have to wait to be seated, officials urge you to wait in your vehicle.

Patrick Tamm, president and CEO of the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association, discussed the guidelines for Indiana restaurants on WTHR-TV in Indianapolis.

"You're going to see a lot of single-use items. You're not necessarily going to walk into a table that's already preset," Tamm said.

He also said you're going to see a manager at the host stand to help you or put you on a wait list, which will most likely be done via text or through their website.

"They're not going to ask you to wait in the lobby of the restaurant," Tamm said. "They're going to potentially ask you to wait out in your car or outside, so we observe a social distance perspective."

If you are sick or have an underlying health condition, you’re being urged not to dine in.

"If they've had a fever, if they're not feeling well, if they have underlying health conditions as well, let us continue to serve you through carryout and delivery, Tamm said. "We're happy to do that, but don't come in to our dining rooms."

Although restaurants are reopening under those strict guidelines, bar seating will remain closed and no live entertainment will be permitted.  

Hair salons and barbershops open Monday as well but by appointment only.