Philly Plans to Allow Indoor Dining Again in September

Restaurants in Philadelphia will soon be allowed to serve diners indoors at a limited capacity, according to regulations released by the city’s government today.

The new rules would go into effect Sept. 8, and shift Philadelphia into a less restrictive “green phase” of reopening. That phase will allow limited dine-in options at restaurants, but bars will not be allowed to reopen during this phase; service at bars within restaurants is also prohibited.

The reopening comes alongside a host of restrictions. Restaurants can only operate at 25 percent capacity. They must provide masks for employees and face shields for servers, and require both employees and patrons wear masks at all times, exempting when customers are eating or when employees are eating on breaks. Seating must be spaced at least six feet apart, and no more than four diners can sit at a table indoors. There are further requirements including physical barriers, employee screening for symptoms, and additional rules around cleaning, hand-washing procedures, and ventilation.

Positive case numbers in the city have wavered from 64 to 120 per day over the past several days (specific data is available here). The city started allowing outdoor dining again in mid-June.

• Philadelphia Guidelines for Restaurants and Food Vendors [Phila.gov]
• Several Philadelphia Restaurants Are Taking the Plunge into Outdoor Dining [EPH]