As people in Dallas are being encouraged to stay home — whether that’s because they feel ill or are worried about the spread of the new coronavirus in public places — Dallas restaurateurs are bracing for what’s expected to be a difficult March in terms of sales.
And yet: A handful of new restaurants and bars opened in the past week and more are expected to debut in the coming weeks.
For those who feel healthy and have not come in contact with someone with COVID-19, is it best to stay home or is it OK to patronize your favorite restaurant?
Dr. Bijal Balasubramanian, epidemiologist and regional dean of the UTHealth School of Public Health, Dallas campus, says “it is OK” for healthy people to eat in restaurants. But she suggests taking some precautions:
- Try to go at a time when the restaurant will not be too crowded. “I wouldn’t go at 6 p.m. on a Friday night, when you expect things to be busy,” Balasubramanian says.
- She also suggests “social distancing,” which includes the practice of staying several feet away from other people. Being in the same vicinity as “more than 25, 30 or 40 people” encourages the spread of any disease, she says. She does not recommend hanging out at a crowded bar.
There’s no evidence that the coronavirus is transmitted on food. The concern, then, is picking up the virus from another person or from a surface where the virus lives. As a story in The Washington Post says, “you’re not any more at risk in a restaurant than in other public places, such as on public transit or in retail stores.”
Here are three ways to consider supporting restaurants while keeping your safety in mind:
1. Ask restaurateurs about their sanitation policies
Unsurprisingly, some Dallas-area restaurateurs are encouraging their fans to continue patronizing North Texas restaurants. Eating in restaurants is the No. 1 way to support a local business, many have said.
“If you’re hesitant, ask the restaurants what actions they are taking to combat infection,” Amy Wallace Cowan says on Facebook. She’s the co-owner of coffee and brunch spot Oddfellows and music venue Revelers Hall, both in the Bishop Arts District. Many restaurants have shared their plans to sanitize door handles and countertops more often. This story details the plans that more than 10 restaurants, shops and breweries have put in place in an attempt to keep their staffers and customers safe.
Balasubramanian says asking restaurateurs about their sanitation plans is a great idea. There’s a two-fold way to be more careful: Restaurants should sanitize tables after every customer leaves. And customers should be “more mindful of not touching too many surfaces,” she says. The coronavirus — which Balasubramanian says doctors “don’t know a lot about” — is believed to survive for 24 to 72 hours on surfaces.
Doctors are also not sure whether coronavirus spreads more through droplets in the air or via surfaces, “so we need to take precautions with both of those,” Balasubramanian says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that people “in close contact” — within 6 feet — are more likely to spread the virus. Jill Bergus, who co-owns Lockhart Smokehouse in Dallas, Arlington and Plano, notes that her staffers are “happy to take your order from 6 feet away.”
Balasubramanian suggests that restaurant owners move their tables a little farther apart so customers don’t dine so close to one another.
2. Order take-out or delivery instead of dining in
Martha Madison, a soap opera star who is co-opening a restaurant called The Mayor’s House in Oak Cliff, says on Twitter that foodies should consider ordering take-out — which could help those who choose to eat at home. Some restaurants have third-party delivery options, and signs point to that industry booming during coronavirus quarantines. But Madison suggests calling the restaurant directly first, “so restaurants don’t have to pay commission and food handling is safer.” Not all restaurants offer this option, and in some cases, it may require customers to still go inside the restaurant to order.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit announced on March 12 that it’s offering “contactless doorstep drop-off delivery” when customers order through dickeys.com or the app. It also will offer free delivery through April 30.
Postmates and DoorDash have also announced contactless delivery options. UberEats and Grubhub appear to have had this offer already. And local pizza company Campisi’s, which uses its own delivery drivers instead of a third-party service, says contactless delivery is available for those who call in. Tiff’s Treats, a company that delivers warm cookies, is also offering interaction-free delivery.
Ordering take-out or delivery will help decrease the spread of disease for two reasons, Balasubramanian says: First, it will decrease people’s exposure to others. And second, consumers are less likely to be touching surfaces in the restaurant.
Even better? Drive-thrus, Balasubramanian says.
Whenever anyone visits a restaurant or any other public place, they should wash their hands for 20 seconds with warm water, she says.
3. Buy gift cards
An Eater story suggests that diners can support restaurants by purchasing gift cards now and using them later. That effort could boost their profits right now, though not every restaurant offers gift cards.
TJ’s Seafood Market & Grill in Dallas is offering 25% off its gift cards for customers who use the code “FISH25” online. Carlo’s Bakery — a shop that’s nationally famous because of the TV show Cake Boss — is selling $25 gift cards for $20 with the code “Save5” online. Notably, both of these efforts do not require customers to go into the stores.
Why it matters
Supporting small businesses is good for the Dallas economy. Canlis, a fine-dining restaurant in Seattle, has radically changed its business since the threat of the coronavirus. Canlis’ website says “Fine dining is not what Seattle needs right now" and notes that staffers are “shutting down our dining room and bringing the food out to you.”
Canlis will have a Bagel Shed with breakfast and coffee; drive-thru options for lunch and dinner; and house-made dinners delivered to doorsteps — with wine.
If Dallas restaurants take efforts like those of Canlis, it could encourage consumers to spend.
From Balasubramanian’s point of view, consumers need to be careful in public spaces, not only for their health but for the health of other people who have compromised immune systems.
“By reducing the chances that one of us [who is healthy] is exposed, … you’re keeping the public health system available to give help to people who need it.”
Updated at 3:13 p.m. March 13, 2020 with information about companies offering contactless delivery and restaurants offering deals on gift cards.
