Olympia: 07/23/2020

Gov. Inslee announces new COVID19 phase requirement for restaurants & bars

Gov. Jay Inslee announced new restrictions for the hospitality industry with the goal of curtailing the spread of Covid19 in Washington state.

These restrictions take effect July 30, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

• All dining capacity is rolled back to 50% – including restaurants in Phase 3 counties.
• Only five guests are allowed per table – including restaurants in Phase 3 counties.
• All guests in a party must be from a single household for indoor dining. Guests from different households must be seated at separate tables. Outdoor dining does not have this restriction.
• Alcohol cannot be served after 10 p.m.
• Bars will close indoor service. A bar is considered a tavern license, winery license, brewery license or distillery license.
• Game areas including pool tables, video games, dart boards and other vending operations are prohibited from use.
• Receptions for weddings and funerals, religious and secular, are not allowed in any phase, starting Aug. 6, 2020. Caterers cannot provide food for weddings or funerals.
• Indoor family entertainment and recreational centers are now prohibited until Phase 4. This includes mini golf, bowling alleys and arcades.
• Indoor card rooms are now prohibited until Phase 4.

The statewide mask order is now expanded to common spaces, not just public spaces, starting July 25, 2020.

We recommend the Washington Hospitality Association's "Coronovirus Resourse Hub

For one-on-one consultation, how these regulations fit with nuances of your business/communities, or help adapting your operations in these rapidly changing times, Harbor Foodservice's Restaurant Solutions Group is at your service. Contact them HERE or learn more HERE