Dining During a Pandemic

I've been reluctant to put myself around strangers during this pandemic.

For the first year, I only went to grocery stores when we really needed to stock up, and I would only go at off-hours: I'd hit up our local Farm Boy on a Friday evening about 15 to 20 minutes before the doors closed. With only a handful of customers in the store, I'd be able to zip around the produce and negotiate aisles without encountering anybody.

For trips to Costco, DW and I would go as soon as doors opened, and again we were able to quickly get what we needed before the crowds arrived.

For other shopping, I'd either do a curbside pickup or have a required item delivered.

My family and I didn't dine in restaurants, even when restrictions were eased. We would either order take-out food or have it delivered to our doorstep. But after DW and I were fully vaccinated, we ventured out to our first patio in more than a year.

It felt strange, and we almost forgot how to interact with a server, though it all worked out okay. Some things were different, of course: the menu was accessed on our phones through a QR code; we put on our masks when we weren't eating or when we left our table. But it was all good.

As more and more of our friends were becoming vaxxed, we went out more often but we limited our dining to patios only. I didn't want to be in a confined space with the air being spread around the room with possible water droplets that contained the virus.

I told myself, and my family and friends, that I'd only dine indoors when everyone in the restaurant was fully vaxxed.

That time finally came over the Thanksgiving weekend, when DW and I drove to Toronto to join our kids, my parents, and my younger sister. Because we were staying in a hotel, we knew that we'd have to dine indoors at some point.

The patio at King Taps.

On our first evening, we found a spot that had a rooftop patio, and the weather allowed us to dine out. But to access the patio, we had to pass through the restaurant and were required to provide proof of vaccination.

It was no problem for anybody in our party, and after a few minutes of showing our vaccination receipts and photo identification, and filling out an online form. It was well worth the effort to get a great table at the restaurant with a great view of the city. The food and drinks were also worth the effort.

The next morning, we found a wonderful breakfast spot that was not far from our hotel. It also had an outdoor patio area, extended out onto the street, so no proof of vaccination was required. We were outside and far from other tables, so there was no issue.

George Street Diner

The same went for lunch, when we sat on a patio on Toronto's harbourfront.

Terroni Adelaide

But dinner was a whole different matter. We had reservations at a restaurant, sitting indoors. This would be DW's and my first indoor dining experience since the pandemic started. The thought of this evening made me nervous, and I was tempted to see if the restaurant had a patio.

It did, but it was unnecessary.

A masked doorman stood on the steps to the restaurant, and as we approached he asked to see our proof of vaccination and identification. Once shared, he held the door open and allowed us inside. In the reception area, we had to scan a QR code and fill out an online form, much like we did the previous evening. Again, it only took a few minutes and, once done, we were led to our table.

The table was in a large room with high ceilings. Tables were spread far apart and it appeared that less than half of the capacity of this room was being used. Once seated, we could remove our masks.

We were spoiled by the service and the quality of the meal. This was our Thanksgiving meal and I was thankful that I was surrounded by family, all of whom were healthy and happy.

The next day, we all met once again, for brunch, at a restaurant in a shopping mall near my sister's place, at Yonge and Eglinton. Again, proof of vaccination was required. But this time, while one of my daughters had a digital copy of her vaccination receipt, she had forgotten her wallet with her identification in our car.

Though seven of eight people were able to provide identification, the greeter of the restaurant would not bend the rules for our kid. We had to retrieve my daughter's wallet.

Fortunately, DW had a photograph of our daughter's health card, which showed her name and a photo, and the greeter accepted this (though, we were prepared to run back to the car to get the same ID). The greeter apologized for being diligent, but in response I thanked her for that diligence. "You're making all of us safer," I said, "and I appreciate it."

No one wants this pandemic and we all want it to be over as soon as possible. I'm for restricting indoor dining to fully-vaxxed patrons. I don't mind carrying proof with me, nor do I mind having to fill out forms before I'm seated. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Get the shots. Provide the proof. And enjoy your dining experience.