With this second period of state of emergency, restaurants have more limited hours and, therefore, it is necessary to bet on other alternatives, such as providing take away food or even make your own delivery or integrate food delivery platforms.
It is a measure that affects thousands of people, including businessmen and employees, but also customers, who find themselves deprived of access to a place of leisure – and, for many, even of necessity. However, as long as the pandemic numbers continue to increase in Portugal and around the world, the rules are always the same: minimize contact and stay at home whenever possible.
And when it is even possible to go to a restaurant to enjoy a moment of relaxation with family or friends, know that among the procedures to be adopted to reduce the transmission of Covid-19, there is the reduction of maximum capacity of the establishment (indoor, including counter, terrace), in order to ensure the recommended physical distance of 2 meters between people.
In addition, whenever possible, preference should be given to the use of outdoor areas, such as terraces and the take-away food service, duly accommodated in disposable packaging , like the ones you find on sale at Brasão Rosa's online store.
Likewise, restaurants should provide customers with hand hygiene systems with alcohol-based solution or soap and water at the entrance and exit of the establishment.
The Directorate-General for Health (DGS) also recommends that, whenever possible and applicable, prior scheduling be promoted to reserve seats.
Hours in effect during the state of emergency for catering
Limitation in restaurants has also changed. Therefore, in cafes, pastry shops or similar located within a radius of 300 meters from an educational establishment or a higher education institution there is a limit of four people per table, as well as in shopping centres. In other cases, the limit is six people. The exception is for people belonging to the same household.
Moderate risk counties
Restaurants can stay open until 1 am, but customers can only enter until midnight.
high risk counties
Catering establishments must close by 10:30 pm.
Very high and extremely high risk municipalities
During the week, restaurants can close until 22:30; on weekends and holidays on December 1st and 8th, they close at 1pm; and on the eve of public holidays, it closes at 3 pm. In these last two cases, restaurants can continue to work with food delivery at home or take away, as long as no customers enter the commercial space.
What precautions should you take when going to a restaurant?
As food and beverage establishments are frequented by many people, there are additional measures to be followed, for everyone's safety.
Therefore, it never hurts to remember:
- You must always sanitize your hands at the entrance and exit of the establishment;
- Respect the distance between people of at least 2 meters, except for people who are part of your household;
- Comply with all respiratory etiquette measures, namely: cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing; use a tissue or your arm and never with your hands; throw the tissue in the trash; wash your hands whenever you blow your nose, sneeze or cough;
- Avoid touching unnecessary surfaces and objects;
- put on the mask both inside the establishment and in take away services;
- Favor payment through other means that do not involve physical contact with the employee, such as contactless, MB Way, among others;
- Avoid staying for long periods in the restaurant and leave after finishing your meal.
Here in Coat of Arms Rosa , we stand in solidarity with all Portuguese people, especially those most affected by the pandemic, whether in terms of health or professional level. Therefore, we leave the appeal to comply with the rules, however difficult. Thus, the more we move away, the faster we will embrace again.
