CORONAVIRUS
Gov. Herbert’s Executive Order’s Impact On Restaurants
Nov 10, 2020, 5:57 AM | Updated: Nov 19, 2020, 8:22 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gov. Gary Herbert is pleading with Utahns to sacrifice social interactions with members outside of your households, even at restaurants, for the next two weeks.
Michael McHenry owns three restaurants across the state. He said there was a smaller than normal crowd at his Salt Lake City location on Monday, the day Herbert’s executive order went into effect.
“We did notice it downtown the most,” McHenry said. “Right there in the heart of thee city seemed to kind of feel it the most – the impact of the dining, or lack of dining from last night’s message.”
He said he’s worried the new order might impact businesses in a way similar to when the pandemic began, but he and his team will adjust as best they can.
The restaurant will be focusing on curbside pickup, McHenry said.
“We have pivoted early, and we’ve donee well, all things considered,” he said. “However, this is an entirely new week under entirely new conditions.”
The governor said he and health leaders are asking residents to sacrifice a bit over the next two weeks of the order by keeping social interactions to those in an immediate household.
He noted that it’s not up to restaurants to ensure groups dining together are from the same household.
While sitting down for a meal at a restaurant with people from another household is technically OK, Herbert said he hopes residents would reconsider.
The order is something the Salt Lake Chamber supports, and the group said it will help businesses in the long run to get back on their feet.
“We can certainly go with our household and go to restaurants,” said Salt Lake Chamber President Derek Miller. “(Restaurant workers) are doing everything they can to keep us safe. We are to be doing everything we can to support them during these trying times so they can keep their doors open and their business going.”
Under the governor’s order, restaurants and bars will not be allowed to serve alcohol after 10 p.m., but they can remain open.
All businesses across the state are now required to make masks mandatory for both employees and customers.
