GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan scaled back indoor dining capacity to 50%, effective Wednesday, after the state reported concerning rises in COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks. Health officials in Montgomery County are taking it one step further, requiring restaurants to limit indoor dining to 25% capacity, and contact tracing information must also be gathered from all patrons.
As Maryland restaurants adhere to stricter COVID-19 policies, many owners are looking at creative ways to encourage diners to eat outdoors even as we head into winter. One of the more popular options emerging are igloos, or plastic bubble tents, and even mini green-houses,
“It gives people a different dining experience and they like them,” Maxwell Talley, dining room supervisor at Ted's Bulletin in Gaithersburg, said. "This will definitely keep people sitting outside and definitely get people coming in.”
Talley said his team sanitizes and airs out the tents for at least five minutes between parties.
“We have a big machine, kind of like Ghostbusters, and we can go in and sanitize the whole tent,” he said. “With the sanitizing, I think people feel comfortable enough, regardless of airflow.”
The CDC recommends restaurants “increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible.” Some health experts are concerned that putting diners in tight quarters without proper airflow is just like having them indoors.
Right now, Montgomery County requires restaurants to register tents and outdoor enclosures. According to the county’s COVID-19 safety guidelines, the tents are only inspected for fire safety. There is no written guidance by the health department about sanitizing the enclosures or requiring airflow.
“I think they feel safer inside of the one of those than they would, even if they were sitting six feet apart, inside a restaurant," Talley said.
Talley added that diners have the option to keep the tents open to get fresh air if that makes them more comfortable.