Poll: Are You Ready To Return To Your Favorite Dine In Restaurant?

[yorick]

Considering what we know so far:

- Indoors is riskier than outdoors, because of aerosolized droplets - created by something called “breathing” - spreading through the room
- Time of exposure matters, the longer the riskier
- People can be asymptomatic carriers: They don’t know they exhale virus particles, though they do

I would go to a decently distanced outdoors restaurant - patio or the like - but never in-doors. No amount of tasty food is worth the risk of choking up pink foam around a tube.

 

[Golden sunsets]

You need a shorter period choice in the poll. Two weeks is way out there. Wife, grandson, and I went out a few nights ago to one of our favorites. There is always a chance to pick up something when out in public, but we are well past the time when we should be worried about a particular illness. I think the odds of catching something at Walmart are greater than a good restaurant, and we have been at Walmart regularly throughout this whole "stay home" nonsense.

"Well past the time when we should be worried about a particular illness". Really You don't think you could catch covid 19 now in a dine in restaurant? Sorry but that is fantastical thinking. Check out the Chinese contact tracing study showing how the ventilation system spread the illness brought in by one infected individual and spread it to many who were seated nowhere near that individual and some who were only in the restaurant after the infected diner left. Aerosolized droplets travel easily through ventilation and hang in the air for hours.

 

[Venturer]

We were coming home from Costco one day last weekend and noticed a mom&pop place we loved to frequent had opened. We turned around and went back. Glad we did,we were the only ones in there,every other table was roped off,the girls and mom wore masks and the food was wonderful as always. Yesterday we went to our favorite locally owned mexican & basically same deal 2 other couples there and great food. Note both times we were there during the off times of around 3 to 4 pm( senior) early or late lunch dining! I won't be dining in during the crowded lunch time or evening dining times but I'm finished sitting home all the time. We took our camper to Lake Guntersville state park for 4 nights and it was great to get out. We strolled around the campground, waved to others and did our normal relaxing. The whole closing of campgrounds was the silliest thing possible IMHO because you are a lot more socially distant there than Walmart,Home Depot or any grocery store.

 

[Nemo2]

No cell phone at all.

I enjoy going for walks and drives and not being bothered. Life's a lot more relaxing this way.

+1 We have an 'older' (donated by DW's daughter) flip top, (or whatever they're called) cell phone we use exclusively in Europe, (calling airbnb operators perhaps), and even then rarely or not at all.

We see 'obviously retired' people checking their phones at every opportunity and think "What is so ***** important?"........and there are those ridiculous (for old farts...although fine for on-call surgeons) ones that clip onto the ear..""I'm in aisle 3 at the supermarket, what detergent do we use?".

For us, if something 'happens' while we're out/abroad, what the hell are we going to do about it anyway? It'll still have happened when we get home and check our answer machine.

 

[gwraigty]

We see 'obviously retired' people checking their phones at every opportunity and think "What is so ***** important?"

Not specific to older folks, but I've wondered the same thing when I see people glued to their smartphones in the grocery store. Maybe I'm a dinosaur for still using a paper shopping list and they're using an electronic list? I was using about a half dozen grocery coupon apps at one time, before deciding it was too much hassle and I was spending more money just to use the coupons. It could be something like that with them, too.

 

[yorick]

> and they're using an electronic list?

Most likely, yes. It’s what we do. Pre ‘rona, this was convenient because we could each go to sections of the store and get things, check them off on the list, and the other would see within minutes “oh that’s done, I am getting this other thing then”.

Post ‘rona it allows my husband to tack things onto the shopping list. I’ll be out for the weekly grocery run and he’ll check the pantry for things we need or he may throw things on there for a “bulk recipe” we’re making that week.

Also, it’s convenient to have a list of “things we got before” and be able to just throw them back onto the list. Maybe I should be able to remember everything we eat on a regular basis, but I don’t. The electronic list remembers for me.

 

[Canoeboy]

Would consider outdoor seating at our favorite restaurants assuming they adhere to social distancing and other good practices. Would try to hit at off-peak times. Dine-in (inside) is a long way off for us.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire23]

+1 We have an 'older' (donated by DW's daughter) flip top, (or whatever they're called) cell phone we use exclusively in Europe, (calling airbnb operators perhaps), and even then rarely or not at all.

We see 'obviously retired' people checking their phones at every opportunity and think "What is so ***** important?"........and there are those ridiculous (for old farts...although fine for on-call surgeons) ones that clip onto the ear..""I'm in aisle 3 at the supermarket, what detergent do we use?".

For us, if something 'happens' while we're out/abroad, what the hell are we going to do about it anyway? It'll still have happened when we get home and check our answer machine.

Our sentiments exactly.

 

[Dtail]

Would consider outdoor seating at our favorite restaurants assuming they adhere to social distancing and other good practices. Would try to hit at off-peak times. Dine-in (inside) is a long way off for us.

We have gone to outdoor seating twice now and it was an okay experience as a change to takeout. Very hot though even in the shade.
We were satisfied with the distancing, masks, gloves, etc.
Would not eat indoors for now.

 

[Midpack]

We have gone to outdoor seating twice now and it was an okay experience as a change to takeout. Very hot though even in the shade.
We were satisfied with the distancing, masks, gloves, etc.
Would not eat indoors for now.

We're still doing takeout 3/week and haven't been back to a restaurant yet - most reopened at 50% capacity 5 days ago here. It'll be a while before we do, and then it will be at a select group of upscale restaurants we trust much more than most others. But DW and I walked by a restaurant with outdoor seating yesterday and noticed a couple who appeared to be having a nice meal together - because they were the only ones at any of the outside tables...

 

[MichaelB]

Here in S Florida there tends to be lots of cigarette smoking in the outdoor section, which we’d rather avoid.

 

[gayl]

Yes. Smoking still not permitted. FWIW w
Walnut Creek is looking st expanding dine in to include closing streets and dining in sidewalk / street. I'M READY!! Right now my dine in is pick up and go to The Grove (park)

 

[Midpack]

Here in S Florida there tends to be lots of cigarette smoking in the outdoor section, which we’d rather avoid.

Yep, that would be a deal breaker for us too. Not allowed here.

 

[W2R]

When we discuss whether dining in is a good idea or not, we are comparing apples with oranges (as the saying goes). Many of us live in regions where COVID-19 is at or near its peak, and other forum members live in regions where it has diminished markedly.

New Orleans was one of the first, and most severe "hot spots". As you may recall I was the scared-est of scaredy-cats a couple of months ago, and would not go out even for curbside grocery pickups. But by now, we are one of the first locations to see the number of cases dropping off sharply despite a huge increase in the number of people tested each day.

It has been 12 days since dining in was allowed here, and we have dined in at our favorite restaurant for lunch on 9 of those 12 days and felt perfectly safe. Today we plan to do it again, so it will be 10 of 13 days. If I lived elsewhere my choices would be vastly different.

 

[Dtail]

Here in S Florida there tends to be lots of cigarette smoking in the outdoor section, which we’d rather avoid.

Didn't smell it or notice it in my 2 times out, but would not stay there then.

 

[harllee]

When we discuss whether dining in is a good idea or not, we are comparing apples with oranges (as the saying goes). Many of us live in regions where COVID-19 is at or near its peak, and other forum members live in regions where it has diminished markedly.

New Orleans was one of the first, and most severe "hot spots". As you may recall I was the scared-est of scaredy-cats a couple of months ago, and would not go out even for curbside grocery pickups. But by now, we are one of the first locations to see the number of cases dropping off sharply despite a huge increase in the number of people tested each day.

It has been 12 days since dining in was allowed here, and we have dined in at our favorite restaurant for lunch on 9 of those 12 days and felt perfectly safe. Today we plan to do it again, so it will be 10 of 13 days. If I lived elsewhere my choices would be vastly different.

Great that New Orleans cases dropped so much especially since it was a hot spot. What do you think the reason was that cases there dropped so much?

 

[audreyh1]

Here in S Florida there tends to be lots of cigarette smoking in the outdoor section, which we’d rather avoid.

That’s our biggest problem in Europe. The outdoors tables look so inviting, but of course that’s where all the smokers go.

 

[aboatguy]

When we knew the lockdown was happening for certain we quickly went out to our favorite restaurant and had a last prelockdown meal. Last week when they reopened we went out and had our first post lock meal at our current favorite restaurant.

Life is to short to stay locked down. I feel like I was unjustly sentenced to a couple months in prison except the gyms in prison were probably open and I fear that due to twitter and social media panic we may end up reliving the lockdown experience again.

 

[Chuckanut]

If you haven’t read this article on the creative things restaurants are doing to attract customers back, read this as it will put a smile on your face.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandem...3xxIHdSr7fYj0o=&reflink=article_copyURL_share

Mini greenhouses to shield patrons from others, mannequins at unusable tables, and chef demonstrations are just a few of the things being cooked up.

 

[harllee]

When we knew the lockdown was happening for certain we quickly went out to our favorite restaurant and had a last prelockdown meal. Last week when they reopened we went out and had our first post lock meal at our current favorite restaurant.

Life is to short to stay locked down. I feel like I was unjustly sentenced to a couple months in prison except the gyms in prison were probably open and I fear that due to twitter and social media panic we may end up reliving the lockdown experience again.

But at least you are still alive and healthy! I had 4 friends with Covid-19--one died, one has what appears to be permanent lung damage (age 50 with no preexisting health problems) and 2 (in their 40s) who are still very sick after a month, in and out of the hospital. At most your "prison sentence" lasted 2-3 months. But these lock downs probably saved hundreds of thousands of lives and disabilities. To me not going out to eat for a few months (still have not eaten in a restaurant) is a small price to pay.

 

[W2R]

Here's a photo that I took this afternoon, from our table at the restaurant. A picture is worth a thousand words. No customers.

 

[gwraigty]

But at least you are still alive and healthy! I had 4 friends with Covid-19--one died, one has what appears to be permanent lung damage (age 50 with no preexisting health problems) and 2 (in their 40s) who are still very sick after a month, in and out of the hospital. At most your "prison sentence" lasted 2-3 months. But these lock downs probably saved hundreds of thousands of lives and disabilities. To me not going out to eat for a few months (still have not eaten in a restaurant) is a small price to pay.

How many times are you going to keep reminding us all that you're not going to dine out in a restaurant? You seem to have a compulsion to rain on someone else's parade! There was no need for you to respond to aboatguy's post at all. It's like you can't stand it that others are going out to eat and have to respond negatively every time someone mentions it.

 

[gwraigty]

BTW, we enjoyed a carryout dinner from Texas Roadhouse tonight. We would have dined in, but conflicting work schedules didn't allow for that. Their online ordering and curbside pickup was so well organized. They made it really easy and painless. Half the parking lot was devoted to curbside check in and pickup, while the other half was for customers dining in. Both sections of the parking lot had steady traffic.

 

[lucky penny]

How many times are you going to keep reminding us all that you're not going to dine out in a restaurant? You seem to have a compulsion to rain on someone else's parade! There was no need for you to respond to aboatguy's post at all. It's like you can't stand it that others are going out to eat and have to respond negatively every time someone mentions it.

This thread was asking whether you are ready to dine out again at your favorite restaurants. Many are saying they happily are. It seems to me that those who aren't are equally entitled to say so & explain why. If references to loved ones, friends & co-workers who have died or are sick are perceived by some as "raining on someone else's parade," well, too bad, that's the reality some people are facing.

I feel the same way as the poster you are criticizing & I am reading many of these posts with sadness, trepidation & concern. But I think we can all learn from each other & try to be civil and empathetic.

 

[harllee]

How many times are you going to keep reminding us all that you're not going to dine out in a restaurant? You seem to have a compulsion to rain on someone else's parade! There was no need for you to respond to aboatguy's post at all. It's like you can't stand it that others are going out to eat and have to respond negatively every time someone mentions it.

I am a member of this Forum and have every right to express an opinion. I am sorry if my opinion does not agree with yours. If you do not want to read what I post I think there is a way you can do something so you do not have to read my posts. I am going to continue to post until the Moderators tell me to stop.