Greater Danbury Has Mixed Feelings About Indoor Dining Again

Last Thursday, October 8, phase three of the re-opening began in Connecticut, and that means that restaurants can now increase their indoor capacity requirement from the current 50 percent limit to 75 percent. But the big question is, do you feel comfortable eating inside?

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been learning more and more about the virus and how it can affect us, so with phase three of the re-opening here in Connecticut underway, I was curious about the way people are feeling about eating inside at area restaurants. Obviously, the outdoor dinning option worked well for many area establishments, and most places were even offering curbside pickup for take out. Now that the weather is turning colder, and more people will be heading inside, how do most people feel about that?

Many restaurants are counting on people returning, and indoor dinning may be essential for some of these local business to survive through the winter months.

We put the question to our local listeners on Facebook to try and get an idea as to how people are feeling about this, and here are some of the responses we received:

Barbara Ribeiro Kaiser - I am not comfortable with indoor dining... but, we do order out from our favorite places to try and support them as best we can ... including a tip. This pandemic has hit them hard ... has hit all of us hard ... but there are ways we can help until a vaccine is found to be effective.

Kelley Lanahan - Nope. I’ve done takeout a few times. That’s all I can handle so far.

Christine Manning Ingersoll- They should’ve never been closed - if you go shopping you can go eat! Just don’t go out if you are feeling ill - no reason to quarantine healthy people!!

Tim G Bushell- ABSOLUTELY!!!!! Open everything up!!! Did we shut everything down for the Flu... no!!! Ridiculous!

Frances Crea Kelley- No definitely not ready.

Vicki Reitbauer-Tirrell- I have no problem with it.....already do it.

Kathleen Stillson- Nope, Not even close

Judy Ross Coster- I'm not comfortable with indoor dining. A commonality amongst people who have contracted covid (excluding the elderly) is they have been eating in restaurants. I will continue outdoor dining as the weather permits. and certainly take out.

Michelle Wojtowicz- it is so much better then being outside in the rain.

Jill Newman- Yes, I've eaten indoors a few times already.

So, when all was said and done, by almost a two to one margin, more people said they felt safe eating inside at restaurants. Now, there's no right or wrong answer to this question, it's really up to the individual and how they feel.  You know restaurants are following strict CDC and State Health Department guidelines, and remember these capacity increases are all subject to change based on the COVID-19 statistics and local businesses ability to follow the state's guidelines.