Colorado Releases Guidelines for Restaurants Reopening...but No Date

More information could be coming May 25.

May 24, 2020

Image: Scratch Burrito and Happy Tap won't try the new guidelines; it's closed for good.

Scratch Burrito and Happy Tap won't try the new guidelines; it's closed for good. Danielle Lirette

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Although the state has yet to announce when restaurants in Colorado can reopen, health officials just released some of the guidelines that dictate how eateries will be able to offer dine-in service. (Current to-go and delivery rules will continue.)

Among the requirements: Restaurants will be limited to 50 percent of the posted occupancy for dine-in service, with a maximum of fifty patrons. No party can be larger than eight, and there must be at least six feet between parties.

Governor Jared Polis is expected to announce more guidelines, and perhaps the reopening date, on May 25. In the meantime, a number of counties have already received variances that have allowed restaurants to reopen, albeit with limitations. Among them: Douglas County, Larimer County, Eagle County and Teller County, which all got the okay late May 22, and El Paso County, whose application was approved May 23. Mesa County has been serving under more stringent rules for a couple of weeks.

Here are the state guidelines released today, May 24.

PDF — COVID-19_Guidance_for_Restaurants_052420.pdf

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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