New Jersey Reopens Indoor Dining at 25% Capacity
New Jersey restaurants are permitted to resume indoor dining at 25% capacity beginning today, Gov. Phil Murphy announced earlier this week.
“Reopening responsibly will help us restore one of our state’s key industries while continuing to make progress against COVID-19,” Murphy wrote in a tweet.
In addition to reduced capacity, other safety precautions include masks for staff and all patrons who are older than 2 or have health issues, six feet of space between tables, enhanced sanitation and a maximum of eight guests per table unless they are members of the same immediate family or household. Patrons are required to remain seated; orders must be placed from the table and food and beverages must be served while guests are seated. Restaurants must collect phone numbers for contact tracing when taking reservations, which are recommended.
To celebrate the return of indoor service, Tuckerton-based Pinelands Brewing opened its doors at 7 a.m. on Friday and welcomed its first guest shortly after.
Belmar-based Beach Haus Brewery wrote on social media that they plan to resume indoor service Friday with reduced capacity.
In June, when Garden State restaurants were permitted to reopen for outdoor service, Murphy signed an executive order allowing the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control to create a temporary permit for licensees to expand drink service onto patios, decks, sidewalks and parking lots.
These expansion permits cost $75 and will expire Nov. 30, “which coincides with the month in which seasonal retail consumption licenses expire and the possibility of appropriate seasonal weather conditions,” according to the order. However, this expiration date may be extended “should circumstances warrant.”
Not all New Jersey breweries are rushing to welcome guests inside.
“Our indoor capacity at 25% is so low that we want to continue to take advantage of our outdoor seating area since we can accommodate so many more people while still socially distancing,” Millville-based Glasstown Brewing wrote on social media.
At the Jersey Shore, Point Pleasant Beach-based Last Wave Brewing transformed its parking lot into a beer garden for the summer, and does not plan to host guests inside over Labor Day weekend, traditionally the end of the summer tourism season.
“We’re going to take our time and make sure it’s something we can staff and make it work, as we’d only be allowed to have about 20 people at a time,” Last Wave co-owner Nick Jiorle told Brewbound. “We’re also lucky to have fantastic weather down here in the fall, so we’re confident the beer garden will remain busy for the next few months.”
This week, Murphy signed into law the temporary executive order that Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. signed earlier this summer permitting open containers of alcoholic beverages on the city’s boardwalk and in other business districts.
Small’s order went into effect on June 12, and a few days later, Assembly representatives Vince Mazzeo, John Armato (both D-Atlantic County) and Carol Murphy (D-Burlington County) introduced a bill to make the change permanent. After passing the Assembly unanimously, the bill passed the Senate.
Under the new law, open containers are permitted on the beach, boardwalk and other areas determined by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
“The boardwalk makes it easy for tourists to visit various casinos, bars, restaurants and entertainment hotspots in a single day. However, if a visitor wants to take their beer on the go while on their way to their next destination, they may receive a citation for walking with an open container,” Mazzeo, Armato and Carol Murphy said in a joint statement. “This practice is becoming outdated as more cities across the nation are relaxing liquor laws in tourist areas. It’s time we revamp Atlantic City’s own laws to match this trend while continuing to keep the tourism area a safe and welcoming place to visit.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Orders Drinking Establishments to Close for On-Premise Service in Six Counties
Last week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation forcing the closure of drinking establishments for on-premise service in six counties as the state combats a spike in cases of COVID-19.
According to the proclamation, “all bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries [and] night clubs” in Black Hawk, Dallas, Johnson, Linn, Polk and Story counties had to close beginning Aug. 27. However, they were permitted to remain open for to-go sales of alcoholic beverages.
Restaurants in those counties are permitted to remain open for on-site service, but must stop selling alcohol after 10 p.m.
Des Moines-based Exile Brewing reminded customers on social media that it is licensed as a brewpub and considered a restaurant, so has remained open with social distancing practices and temperature checks in place.
“For our fans that wish to enjoy their Exile at home, we offer a curbside pickup option and have partnered with Grubhub for home delivery,” Exile wrote.
In the affected counties, cases of COVID-19 have reached 30,160 and 477 people have died from the virus.
Chicago Bars Ponder Impending Winter
With bars, restaurants and breweries expanding into makeshift outdoor spaces this summer to accommodate guests under safer conditions, hospitality experts in Chicago are turning their attention to the colder weather that’s sure to come, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Since June, Chicago establishments with food licenses have been able to host patrons indoors at 25% capacity, but outdoor service has driven the bulk of revenue for many businesses.
To keep outdoor seating feasible as the seasons change, the city has partnered with the Illinois Restaurant Association, international design and innovation agency IDEO and BMO Harris Bank to launch the Winter Design Challenge.
“While we’ve had to implement restrictions and take hard measures to combat a recent rise in COVID-19 activity, we will continue to ensure our restaurants, bars and businesses have the supports they need to survive during these unprecedented times,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a press release. “We are asking our community members to come together and think creatively about how we can make outdoor dining feasible in the winter.”
Contestants can enter designs into three categories: standalone outdoor structures, indoor-adjacent specs and “cultural shifts making winter dining more appealing.” A winner in each category will receive $5,000 and the ability to pilot their design at Chicago bars and restaurants. Admissions are accepted on IDEO’s open innovation platform through Sept. 7, and winners will be announced mid-month.