Moves to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Australian have made dining out in restaurants and cafes more like visiting a hospital’s intensive care ward.
Patrons are being forced to use hand sanitiser upon entry and then kept strictly apart – some are even having their temperature taken before they get through the door.
Eateries are removing seats to comply with new ‘social distancing’ regulations and limiting the size of group bookings.
Bistros are selling pre-prepared meals customers can pick up and take home to heat or cook, while high-end restaurants are offering takeaway meals for the first time.
Electronic payment is increasingly being preferred over cash and staff in pubs are donning latex gloves before pulling a schooner.
Restrictions in place to contain COVID-19 got tighter this week and some businesses have already gone further than is required under public health laws.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday that ‘non-essential’ indoor gatherings of more than 100 people would be banned and people should stay 1.5m away from other.
Coronavirus has completley changed the landscape of Australian drinking and dining
Diners are being forced to undergo temperature checks and use hand sanitiser before entering some restaurants. Staff member Candy Huang is pictured having her temperature taken at the Golden Century seafood restaurant in Sydney’s Chinatown
Restaurants hit by a downturn in business due to coronavirus have have had to adapt to the new conditions. Late night brasserie and bar Bar Margaux (pictured) in Melbourne’s central business district will deliver fresh-made French onion soup and beef bourguignon
An indoor gathering refers to people congregating in a single area substantially enclosed by a roof and walls.
The rules apply to restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes, many of which operate on a business model which requires more than 100 patrons at peak times and so are closing or have closed.
Mr Morrison said venues had to be able to maintain social distancing between patrons. Hand hygiene products and suitable waste receptacles must be available.
Eateries around the country have responded to the new regulations and some had begun taking precautions earlier.
Italian restaurant La Camera in Melbourne’s Southbank has been checking the temperature of all customers before they are allowed to enter the building.
Its owner was reportedly spooked by stories he had heard from Italian relatives and had halved the restaurant’s capacity from 250 before Mr Morrison’s announcement.
Tables at La Camera have been separated and the restaurant shuts for a deep clean between dinner and lunch services.
Staff were prepared to turn away anyone with a temperature above 37 degrees but by mid-week that had not occurred.
A waiter is pictured cleaning hand railings at the Golden Century in Sydney’s Chinatown. Restaurants and cafes have been instructed to increase cleaning surfaces patrons may touch
Restaurant supervisor May Su is pictured standing ready to welcome guests at the Golden Century in Sydney’s Chinatown on March 5. Anti-bacterial gel is pictured on the counter
Some restaurants and cafes are trying to keep or entice customers with free delivery, menu specials and pre-prepared meals to heat up at home.
Other restaurants are advertising that takeaway customers can call ahead of arrival and have staff bring meals to their vehicle or be met at the door.
Late night brasserie and bar Bar Margaux in Melbourne’s central business district will deliver fresh-made French onion soup and beef bourguignon.
Pinotta at Fitzroy North has closed to the public but has been offering take-home meal packs of dishes including steak for patrons to cook themselves.
At the Terminus Hotel in Sydney’s Pyrmont tables have been spaced out for social distancing and it will not accept any large bookings for dining.
Surfaces are being cleaned continuously with commercial-grade sanitisers and cash will no longer be taken over the bar.
‘We will continue serving food and drinks as per normal and have takeaway as an alternative option,’ management said.
‘Please understand that we may continue to make changes in accordance with daily updates from the government and will need to adjust accordingly day-to-day.’
Sean Moran, whose popular Sean’s Panorama at North Bondi in Sydney has begun offering takeaway from an adjacent carpark, told his Instagram followers how he would operate from now.
‘Under the circumstances, as of tomorrow evening, our daily menu will be available for collection from our car park adjacent to the restaurant and I am adding a few personal favourites as a comfort cuddle to you all,’ he wrote on Wednesday.
Restrictions already in place to contain COVID-19 are getting tighter by the day and some businesses have gone further than is required under public health laws. Patrons are pictured drinking in an almost deserted put in Melbourne’s central business district on March 18
Sean Moran, whose Sean’s Panorama at North Bondi has begun offering takeaway, has revealed how he would operate from now. ‘For in house guests, a hand washing station has been set upon the entrance to the restaurant. Everyone is required to wash hands on arrival’
‘We are now offering takeaway as a service in order to stay connected with you, our valued clients and our community,’ its operators revealed on social medial,’ the operators of Bondi Icebergs said on Instagram
‘For in house guests, a hand washing station has been set upon the entrance to the restaurant. Everyone is required to wash hands on arrival.
‘We have removed certain tables to help with social distancing.
‘We have rostered specific staff to clean, disinfect and sanitise all areas including bathrooms and door handles.
‘We are implementing temperature checks on all staff prior to commencement of work and have alerted if they feel unwell or display any of the recognised symptoms of the virus to remain at home.’
Mr Moran, whose post was widely applauded by customers, said he would be ‘monitoring the situation constantly’ and would advise of any further changes, ‘if and when they occur’.
‘On a personal note I wish for calm and love for everyone through these challenging times.’
Bondi Icebergs, at the other end of the iconic beach, has also begun offering takeaway for the first time.
Icebergs (pictured) at Bondi Beach has begun offering takeaway options from its award-winning restaurant. The venue has also cancelled live music, but would for now keep its badge draw and trivia night
‘We are now offering takeaway as a service in order to stay connected with you, our valued clients and our community,’ its operators revealed on social medial.
‘We hope that by providing this takeaway service, we can add some happiness to your day through a quality meal and help put a smile on yours and your family’s faces through these unique and strange times.’
Icebergs had also cancelled live music, but would for now keep its badge draw and trivia night.
Other top Sydney restaurants offering takeaway include A1 Canteen in Sydney’s Chippendale, Automata and Matteo in Double Bay.
At Canberra’s Bar Rochford in the city centre bookings have been limited to groups of fewer than five people and tables are being kept well apart.
While the premises has a capacity for about 100 patrons the venue’s owners have reduced the number of people it will allow in to 70 and that may drop further.
Cash payments are out and hand sanitiser dispensers have been placed around the bar.
Also in Canberra, the operators of Teddy Picker’s café have removed some tables and provided disinfectant wipes for customers.
Patrons were being encouraged to pre-order food and drinks so they could pick up their purchases if they did not wish to linger in the cafe for long.
Restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs are routinely cleaning their surfaces such as door handles and tables more often and staff have had to monitor crowd numbers with head counts.
Strict travel restrictions and limits on non-essential gatherings in Australia are now in place
Licensed clubs which attract large numbers of patrons to play poker machines such as Souths Junior’s at Sydney’s Kingsford have been forced to put staff armed with counters on the door.
The 100-person limit on premises includes staff, which at the Welcome Hotel at Rozelle in Sydney’s inner-west would number up to 20 on a busy Friday or Saturday night.
Drinkers who did choose to still go to pubs would be faced with fewer entertainment opportunities with so little sport to watch on television or music to watch live.
It would also no longer be economically viable for venues with an audience of fewer than 100 to screen pay-per-view events such as world title fights.
Crown casinos is Melbourne and Perth have implemented social distancing policies including deactivating every second gaming machine and electronic table game.
Players have been banned from standing around seated gaming tables and the number of patrons allowed at stand-up table games has been limited to five.
Business is down at restaurants and cafes. This area at Barrangaroo out the outskirts of Sydney’s central business district would normally be packed at lunchtime