Indoor dining, maybe mid September.

Are you in?

Probably, count me out.

I'm not even up to outdoor dining yet, unless it is take out in the yard.  

No indoor or outdoor dining for me though I tip my hat to people who are doing it and helping to keep restaurants alive.

I probably will, very selectively. High ceilings, lots of physical spacing, overall high cleanliness standards.

We do takeout but haven’t eaten out yet. 

I'm going to stick with take-out/delivery. I didn't feel comfortable sending my kids to a confined space for 4 hours even with a mask. I wouldn't feel comfortable being in a confined space for a couple of hours with no masks. I feel horrible for the bars and restaurants. It's going to be tough getting through the winter.

I'd probably wait another month, but at least Jersey's numbers are looking pretty decent:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/new-jersey-coronavirus-cases.html

jamie said:

I'd probably wait another month, but at least Jersey's numbers are looking pretty decent:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/new-jersey-coronavirus-cases.html

 That’s what I was originally thinking...wait a month.  But then the second wave may begin.

I won’t be first in line but depending on the setup, I’ll be willing to sit down inside. I suspect there’s enough demand for indoor dining for restaurants to do well in filling up a quarter of their tables. Then give it a month or so, and provided NJ’s overall numbers are still good and there are no documented outbreaks from indoor dining, maybe there will be confidence from govt and diners to go up to 50%.

My family was going to do our first outdoor dining tonight, but the weather is messing that up.  It's going to be a lot longer before I'm ready to eat indoors.

We’ve been doing outdoor dining and tipping extra well since wait staff obviously doesn’t have the volume they used to have.

Restaurants with tents that have multiple side down, though, we won’t eat in.

Take out only for us until there's a vaccine

I was up in Massachusetts for a few days to visit family.  Apparently they have indoor dining, but we opted for outdoor.  Sudden rain pushed us to a table just inside the large opening, with the awning preventing splash-back.  We were barely 6 feet from others; my daughter was very anxious.  Doesn't help that her district is forcing the teachers to come into the schools to do the remote learning and hybrid scheduling. 

No thanks.

Many of the tables I see in downtown Maplewood for outdoor dining are nowhere near 6 feet apart.  I doubt it will improve indoors.

I think the guidance of tables being 6 feet apart is probably being followed -however, I dont think that the seats are 6 feet apart.  that is a problem for us.  we have not eaten out downtown yet either.  in fact we have had dinner out only once ( in cape may-outdoor tables very spread out) 

yahooyahoo said:

No thanks.

Many of the tables I see in downtown Maplewood for outdoor dining are nowhere near 6 feet apart.  I doubt it will improve indoors.

We had to postpone our plans, so we still haven't done it.  However, we had already decided against downtown Maplewood for that reason.  We are planning a dinner with two other couples at the Carriage House at the Paper Mill Playhouse. I've heard very good feedback about their procedures, distancing (six feet between chairs, not just tables), etc.  However, they do not have a large tent, just table umbrellas, so rain will cancel plans (as happened to us last week.)

It seems that there are a variety of approaches being taken by various restaurants, so I'd be interested in knowing where people are going and what precautions they are observing, how safe it feels, etc.

Drive through places are the most effective for virus protection.... except the couple I've been to, where the window staff are protecting their tracheotomy.

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

are protecting their tracheotomy.

 Exactly! What's the point?

At least the knuckleheads who cover their mouths only are probably mouth-breathers anyway.

musicmz said:

 Exactly! What's the point?

At least the knuckleheads who cover their mouths only are probably mouth-breathers anyway.

 I was referring to the couple of times I've seen 'em inside the take-out window with the masks on their throat..... not even just their mouth.