San Francisco officials expect to reopen indoor restaurants on March 3

In a webinar hosted by the San Francisco Office of Economic Development and Workforce on Wednesday, SF Assistant Director of Health, Dr. Susan Philip, announced SF restaurant owners should plan to reopen their dining rooms on March 3, assuming COVID-19 infection rates continue to decline.

Of course, if there’s anything the last year has taught us, it’s that nothing is certain. Philip has made it clear that those dates could change if infection rates rise or if state officials make changes to their plan to reopen.

As San Francisco remains in the most restrictive and purple level of the state’s color-coded reopening card, state and local authorities have confirmed that the California Department of Public Health plans to move SF to the level. red on March 2. According to Philip, the day after entering Red Level, San Francisco is expected to resume state-permitted activities, including dining at a reduced capacity of 25% or 100 people. San Francisco will be the third Bay Area county to reopen indoor restaurants, joining Marin and San Mateo counties, which both opened dining on February 24.

When San Francisco last entered the red tier, in August 2020, SF officials insisted that indoor dining be delayed until the city moved to the even less restrictive orange tier ( but only authorizes reopening at more restrictive and red level levels). This time there will be no such delay.

In addition to the 25% capacity limit, restaurants can only allow members of the same household to share a table, with a maximum of four people. Meanwhile, alfresco dining will allow tables for up to three households, with a limit of six.

The announcement – and the lack of a lag – was good news for the Golden Gate Restaurant Association (GGRA), the city’s dining hall. In a statement, the organization said, “We are grateful that the mayor, Dr. Philip, Dr. Colfax and the Department of Public Health allow San Francisco to follow state regulations. In other words, to reopen immediately, rather than setting their own more stringent local guidelines.

The red crossing also means that the San Francisco curfew, which requires restaurants to close all sit-down meals before 10 p.m., will be lifted. The curfew was initially a state-imposed restriction, a restriction that was lifted at this level in late January. But San Francisco kept it in place, the county health director said at the time, as officials wanted “to see how [COVID-19] the numbers do it to make sure we don’t have to go back. “

But although the curfew is gone, restaurants inside must close at 10 p.m. every night, Philip says. Al fresco dining can remain open after 10 p.m., assuming diners wish to stay outside in the cool SF evening.

Bars without food must remain closed below the red level, confirmed Philip. Bars that serve food (either their own or with a partner) can also open a 25 percent indoor service to a maximum of 100 people.

It has been a long way back to restaurants inside restaurants in San Francisco, which reopened at 25% capacity on September 30, 2020. Six weeks later, COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed by 250 %, prompting the city to close dining halls in November. 13, returning to outdoor and take-out meals only. As infections continued to climb, even outdoor restaurants were closed, with most of the Bay Area restricted to take-out only from December 6.

According to GGRA, a second cancellation of openings is not an option. “Any further closures will have dramatic economic consequences, including temporary and permanent closures,” they said in a statement. “We urge our restaurant members and residents of San Francisco to adhere to these regulations, in order to give us the best possible chance of maintaining this permanent reopening.”