Here’s what you can and can’t do at restaurants, bars in Washington’s Phase 3

For the first time since November, restaurants across Washington will be allowed to fill up to half their seating capacity under Phase 3 of the Healthy Washington plan, Gov. Jay Inslee announced last Thursday. Some existing safety precautions including the six-foot rule and no bar seating remain in place.

Starting March 22 statewide, party size increases to 10 people per table with no household restrictions, and alcohol can be served through midnight.

This guidance applies to all eating and drinking establishments, including night clubs, breweries, distilleries, wineries, cafes and food courts. Businesses must designate a staff member to monitor “the health of individuals and enforce the COVID-19 job site safety plan,” which must be readily available for state and local agencies to access.

Restaurants in Phase 2 — the reality for most of the state in February and early March — have been permitted to seat only 25 percent of indoor capacity. Outdoor and open air seating, where businesses keep doors and windows open to enhance airflow, stood at the 50 percent level; party size was limited to six people and, technically, only two households per table.

“It’s great news,” said Dan Chau, general manager of Saigon House in central Tacoma. The Vietnamese restaurant opened last fall with artful plating and a full bar that begged for in-house customers. Sales waned under a takeout-only model, especially as a new business, and Chau said the additional capacity will definitely boost the bottom line.

Near downtown, the owners of taproom Cider & Cedar agreed.

“We’re really excited to be back to 50 percent soon,” Mia Paradiso told McClatchy in a text message. “It just makes it so much more viable for us to be open more and do the charcuterie boards.”

The bar also opened last summer, around the same time the state rolled back indoor seating allowances for breweries, cideries, distilleries and taprooms. Paradiso, with co-owner and husband Sterling, added charcuterie boards out of necessity: To seat guests indoors, alcohol-only establishments had to offer “substantial” food options.

That requirement has since been alleviated. Breweries, for instance, can now satisfy it if they have a food truck parked outside, or if they list nearby restaurants offering takeout.

Nonetheless, not every restaurant is on board.

Some restaurants, like Quickie Too, a vegan cafe in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood, will continue to function as they have for the entirety of the pandemic: as takeout-only establishments.

“We just can’t afford to do the back and forth,” Niombi Howell told The News Tribune in a Friday phone call, citing the financial — and emotional — costs of restarting in-house service, and of staying well-equipped for takeout.

“It means a lot. It means an increase in staff, disposable ware. It’s a big deal to change back, it really is,” she said. “A lot has happened to us over the last year, personally and on the business side, and we are just not ready to open back up.”

Here are the updated guidelines for Phase 3 dining, drinking and entertainment:

I’m vaccinated. Do I still need to wear a mask at restaurants?

Yes.

If you go out to eat or drink, remember that right now, most Washington state restaurant workers won’t be eligible for the vaccine until March 31. Residents over the age of 16 who are pregnant or have certain disabilities are eligible as of March 17; on April 12, those over the age of 50 with two or more comorbidities will be eligible; that age drops to 16 on April 26.

More than a third of restaurant workers are under the age of 25, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Numbers and times may have changed, but the general set of rules both restaurants and guests are expected to follow have not. Masks remain a part of public life, for now.

I’m sitting outside. Do I need a mask?

Yes.

Masks are required to enter any business in Washington state. At restaurants, they must be worn whenever you are not seated at your table, including a visit to the counter or the bathroom or walking out the door, regardless of whether you are seated indoors or out.

The guidelines released March 17 specify that you should wear a mask when not “actively eating or drinking.” Pragmatically speaking, that means you should wear a mask when interacting with staff or other patrons.

Can I sit at the bar in WA?

No.

Washington is one of the only states to maintain its ban on bar seating, which remains off-limits in Phase 3. Counter seating, such as a high-top in front of a window or along a wall, is permitted, as long as six feet of distance exists between parties.

Otherwise, you must be seated at a table to eat and drink.

How many people can I sit with at a table?

You can now sit with up to 10 people at a table. Previous restrictions on the number of households per party have been lifted.

Remember that we are still in the midst of a pandemic, and the permission to go out in a large group should not devalue your respect for staff and the limitations under which they continue to work — constantly masked, by the way.

When is the cutoff for alcohol service?

Midnight.

Alcohol service, including delivery, has been extended to midnight in Phase 3. Food service can run past this time. To-go cocktails and sealed bottles of liquor require a food purchase; sealed bottles of wine and growlers or Crowlers of beer filled on site do not.

The Phase 2 cutoff for alcohol service, delivery and consumption at bars and restaurants was 11 p.m.

Drinking beer, wine and cocktails on-site must end, according to state guidelines, at midnight. That means bars will likely offer last call closer to 11 p.m. Again, be courteous and prepared to walk out the door by midnight, unless you are eating.

Can we play pool, shuffleboard and arcade games?

Yes.

As of February, games such as darts, along with other activities like live music and karaoke, are permitted. This guidance holds true in Phase 3.

When playing a game like pool, for instance, you should be masked. Staff should sanitize equipment between use.

I shouldn’t ask, but can we do karaoke?

Yes.

When participating in karaoke, a single singer can be unmasked but should stand at least 20 feet from the crowd. The guidelines for indoor entertainment advise against multiple singers, but up to 15 can perform at once if they are triple-masked and stand at least nine feet apart. Sessions should last no more than 45 minutes, with a half-hour between groups and a total of two hours per party.

Again, staff should sanitize microphones after every singer.

Will we hear live music at bars? Catch a play at the theater?

Yes.

DJs, musicians and similar entertainers at venues of any kind should be stationed at least 15 feet from performers or others on stage.

Details for Phase 3 indoor and outdoor performances and similar events at theaters are forthcoming.

Under Phase 2 guidelines, capacity stands at the lesser of 25 percent capacity or 200 people, with the same six feet between parties of up to six people and consistent mask wearing. Performers should maintain 20 feet between them and the audience, and shows should last no longer than two hours.

Outside, groups of up to 15 people can sit together but should be limited to two households. The time limit extends to three hours in Phase 2.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect a new timeline for restaurant workers’ vaccine eligibility, now starting March 31.

This story was originally published March 17, 2021 at 4:35 PM.