New COVID rules ask you to give name, contact info before getting a restaurant seat

Washington restaurants that open at half-capacity in phase two of the coronavirus Safe Start recovery program will be expected to follow heightened sanitation guidelines, limit tables — spaced at least six feet apart — to five guests and close bar seating entirely.

The guidelines, issued by Gov. Inslee’s office Monday night, also ask restaurants with table service to maintain a daily log detailing the name and contact information of each customer. As of May 15, customers can choose whether to participate; restaurants will still be required to gather that voluntary information.

A visitor log has been included in guidance for certain industries, such as landscaping and golf courses, permitted to open in phase one.

Breweries, cafes, juice bars, fast-food restaurants, food trucks and any business serving food or alcohol are included in the second phase but must adhere to the rules.

Phase two could begin by June 1, according to the three-week waiting period between each phase of the State Start plan.

Mike Faulk, Gov. Jay Inslee’s press secretary, said that worker and business groups agreed to the log requirement recommended by the Washington Department of Health.

“We believe a visitor log could greatly assist with our upcoming contact tracing to help reduce the spread of the virus and contain outbreaks as more and more businesses reopen,” Faulk said in an email to The News Tribune.

The governor’s office is “currently working with our state privacy office and a broad group of stakeholders to discuss next steps for the requirement and provide guidance to businesses.”

Russ Heaton, the owner of Doyle’s Public House, a popular watering hole in Tacoma’s St. Helens neighborhood, did not seem fazed by most of the guidelines. By and large, they were all expected.

“Single use menus are not a problem. They won’t be pretty or on heavy stock. One server makes sense, but will challenge operators in staffing,” he told The News Tribune in a text message.

Heaton is worried about the visitor log.

Privacy is the reason for his hesitation. Does the health department “own” that information? Does the restaurant, thus rendering it private, not public? If a customer is later found to have contracted COVID-19, will the restaurant’s name be revealed?

Gov. Inslee addressed some of these concerns the day after issuing the guidelines, saying that his office is working with industry groups to develop privacy protocols. The idea would be that the information would be expunged after a short time “so that this is only a minor inconvenience.”

The information would only be used by healthcare professionals and trained contact tracers.

Then on Friday, the governor made the log voluntary and clarified that only one person per household would be asked.

“I am no longer requiring customers to provide a business with contact information, and businesses should not condition service on a customer’s unwillingness to do so,” he said in a statement. “Businesses are still obligated to maintain a customer log of those who voluntarily provide their information.”

He also reiterated that the information would “only be shared with public health officials” if they believed a customer may have been exposed to COVID-19 during an outing, and that if unused it would be “destroyed” in 30 days.

In a statement provided to The News Tribune, Anthony Anton, executive director of the Washington Hospitality Association, said the conversation with the governor’s office will continue no matter the reopening stage.

“Even after we reopen our doors, we intend to keep working with the governor if more efficient and effective practices emerge, or if we find that some practices aren’t working as intended,” Anton said. “Washington restaurants are professionals at meeting high health and safety standards, and we want the public to have confidence that, when the governor gives the statewide green light in the coming weeks, Washington restaurants will be ready to serve.”

Robert Thoms, who sits on the Tacoma City Council and has been actively involved in assisting restaurants both before and during the coronavirus crisis, agreed that health should be the No. 1 priority. Customers will need to adjust, Thoms said in an email.

He likened the daily log to making a reservation, where you share your name and phone number. Many restaurant owners and industry stakeholders across the country have discussed the possibility of transitioning to reservations only, which would, in a way, naturally allow for social distancing while also providing the restaurant steadier traffic throughout the week.

Thoms stressed that these government mandated measures are important for contact tracing and trusts that people will view the precaution as another step in combating the virus. Also, he said, they are temporary.

General reopening rules

Under guidelines from the governor’s office, establishments can allow only 50 percent of their building occupancy at any given time, with zero bar seating, which will kick in at 25 percent in phase three.

Luckily, just in time for the summer season, outdoor seating is allowed and does not count toward the indoor limits. A sidewalk patio or beer garden, for example, can operate at half-capacity.

In addition to social distancing where possible for staff, tables must be spaced at least six feet apart, so that every guest at one table sits at least that far from every guest in the neighboring party.

Otherwise, the state will require “a physical barrier or wall.” This barrier would be particularly relevant for booth seating.

Condiment caddies left on tables must be sanitized after each party leaves, or the restaurant should switch to single-use salt and pepper packets, for instance. Likewise, salad bars, buffets or other communal serving stations are forbidden for now, but the guidelines hinted at adjustments in the near future.

Menus handed to customers must be discarded after use, which refutes a common theme shared in hospitality circles in recent weeks. Many hypothesized that laminated menus would surge in popularity because they can be easily wiped down.

What else will differ from the dining experience we knew pre-COVID-19? You likely won’t see a different server glide by to refill your water glasses, or a food runner deliver your dish or retrieve your empty plate. The state is recommending that restaurants minimize the number of employees that interact with each party.

What do restaurants think of these new rules?

The Washington Hospitality Association has for weeks encouraged its members to stay ahead of these expectations.

“Don’t try to figure that out the day of the announcement,” said Anton. In addition to communicating with landlords, suppliers, employees and customers, he stressed the importance of developing a social-distancing plan that works for their business and their space.

After an “extremely busy” few weeks of takeout and deliveries, especially on Mother’s Day, Indochine Dining Lounge in downtown Tacoma is doing just that.

“We are taking this time do deep clean, sanitize and reorganize the entire restaurant to prepare for the next phase,” he said. “At this time, we are looking forward to the next phase and will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of our customers and employees.”

The restaurant, which received a Payment Protection Program loan and has rehired some of the staff initially laid off when the shutdown order hit, has already created single-use menus with a coupon for customers to use on a subsequent visit.

That semblance of hospitality, Anton said, will be one of the industry’s toughest challenges as the sterile reality of phase two begins.

“It took restaurants a couple months to figure out how to do takeout, delivery and to-go — and I do believe a lot of them have kind of figured it out now,” he said. That practice — and their existing need for sanitary environments — has prepared them for this moment.

“I understand why we’re in phase two,” he continued. “I’m really proud that we’ve proven, ‘Here’s what good social distancing looks like.’ We’ll iron out the last couple pieces.”

*Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect Gov. Inslee’s May 15 update that the customer log is now voluntary.

This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 1:51 PM.