Phase Two for Virginia Restaurants

PHASE 2 for RESTAURANT & BEVERAGE SERVICES (Restaurants, Dining Establishments, Food Courts, Breweries, Cideries, Mobile Units (food trucks), Distilleries, Wineries, and Tasting Rooms) have to implement the following mandatory requirements!

  • Post signage at the entrance that states that no one with a fever or symptoms of COVID-19, or known exposure to COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days, is permitted in the establishment
  • Post signage to provide publish health reminders regarding physical distancing, gatherings, options for high risk individuals, & staying home if sick.
  • Occupancy must be limited to no more than 50% occupancy load on the Certificate of Occupancy, if applicable, while maintaining a minimum of six feet of physical distancing between all individuals as much as possible.
  • Provide a minimum of six feet between parties at table.
  • All parties, whether seated together or across multiple tables, must be limited to 50 patrons or less.
  • Do not seat multiple parties at any one table unless marked with six-foot divisions (such as tape).
  • Bar seats and congregated areas of restaurants must be closed to patrons except for through traffic.
  • Non-bar seating in the bar area may be used for customers seating if a min. six feet is provided between parties at tables
  • Keep game areas, dance floors, & playgrounds closed.
  • If live musicians are performing at an establishment, they must remain at least six feet from patrons & staff
  • Employees working in customer dining & service areas are required to wear face coverings over their nose & mouth.
  • Use single-use disposable menus (ex. paper) & discard after each customer.
  • Reusable menus are not permitted.
  • Refilling food & beverage containers, or implements brought in by customers, is not allowed.
  • Prior to each shift, employers should ask employees to self-check their temperature & assess symptoms.
  • No self-service of food (except beverages), including condiments.
  • Buffets must be staffed by servers.
  • For self-service beverage areas, use beverage equipment designed to dispense by a contamination-free method.
  • Condiments must be removed from tables & dispensed by employees upon the request of a customer.
  • Perform thorough cleaning & disinfection of frequently contacted surfaces every 60 minutes, which include digital ordering devices, check presenters, self-service areas, tabletops, bathroom surfaces, & other common surface areas.
  • Tabletops & credit card/bill folders must be disinfected between patrons.
  • Table resets must be done by an employee who has washed their hands with soap & water for at least 20 seconds just prior to reset activities.
  • Patrons may wait in the lobby area for takeout & seated dining provided that 6ft distance is maintained between parties.
  • Non-bar seating in the bar area may be used for customers seating if a min. six feet is provided between parties at tables.
  • If tables are not movable, seat parties at least six feet apart.
  • Spacing must also allow for physical distancing from areas outside the facility’s control.

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