Indoor dining in Philadelphia will be allowed to resume with restrictions on Sept. 8, Mayor Kenney announced Thursday.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney made the announcement at a press conference about the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic Thursday.
Indoor dining will be capped at 25% capacity, with tables allowing a maximum number of four seats, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said.
The rule requiring no more than four seats at a table is to discourage mixing people from different households, said the Commissioner.
Also among the restrictions on restaurants: Servers must wear face masks as well as face shields. Diners at separate tables must be at least six feet apart or have an impermeable barrier between them. Diners must wear masks unless they are eating.
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The physical barriers will be installed where maintaining six feet of distance is difficult, including in kitchens and at cash registers, host stands, and food pick up areas
Bar seating will not be allowed and alcohol must be served with food. Last call for all indoor dining orders will be at 11 p.m. and restaurants must close by midnight.
The restaurants also are being urged to increase ventilation and promote the state’s upcoming contact tracing app.
“We are asking restaurant managers to take these restrictions very seriously, and follow them,” he said.
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The city plans to send inspectors in to restaurants to ensure that restaurants comply with the new rules, said Dr. Thomas Farley, the city’s health commissioner. “We will be quick to close restaurants” that don’t comply, he said Thursday.
The city’s restaurants closed in mid-March; limited outdoor dining was allowed starting June 12.