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Original poster

Would you eat out now (inside dining)?

251 replies

Featherstep · 10/10/2020 22:11

I really miss going out for a weekend cafe or pub lunch with my family but my husband thinks it's not worth the risk eating inside now that the virus is spreading again like wildfire. He's probably right - the last time we sat inside for a pub lunch (in August), I felt very uncomfortable being so close to the people at the next table.

Most outdoor seating gets booked up really quickly. I feel like for almost every outing since March we've brought packed picnic lunches. I am SO sick of packed sandwiches and would just love to sit down somewhere with warm food for once, just like pre-Covid times!

So just that really, are you comfortable going to lunch if it's going to be inside?

OP posts:
MayFayre · 10/10/2020 23:58

No, nobody to go with. All my friends are being ultra cautious and will only meet outside.

onedayinthefuture · 11/10/2020 00:00

People worried about possibly catching Covid but probably didn't ever give a second thought as to who had touched the salt cellar or ketchup bottle when eating out before.....

MoFoFlo · 11/10/2020 00:04

Yes. Went for a lovely meal with DH tonight. Felt safe with tables well spaced, masks when not seated and hand sanitiser on each table. Will probably be last for a while as we are in NW.

TBH it's meeting up with friends for a meal that I miss most (not allowed indoors here). Fed up at looking at DH as we're both stuck WFH.

Oliversmumsarmy · 11/10/2020 00:05

Could someone explain why we are closing pubs and restaurants that were operating SD and were safe. The infection rate didn’t suddenly spike after pubs were opened. It started to spike when schools were opened so why aren’t we shutting schools instead of forcing people out of pubs and into homes where no SD no hygiene rules are in force.

ohthegoats · 11/10/2020 00:07

Yes. Did today, will tomorrow. My big risk factor is going to work, so I'm not giving restaurants much of my concern.

ohthegoats · 11/10/2020 00:10

@Oliversmumsarmy - because that is what is left after the two things they don't want to close are taken out of the equation. Workplaces, and education settings are making up half (or more) of the transmissions, but when you take them out of the 'can close' list, pubs and restaurants are next at 14%.

ceeveebee · 11/10/2020 00:21

Not the transmissions. The exposures.
Correlation is not the same as causation

Oliversmumsarmy · 11/10/2020 00:21

It just seems ridiculous the way they have gone about it. Closing early doesn’t mean people go home alone. They take the booze with them and carry on in the streets or back at someone’s house and any control goes out of the window and the home becomes the place where people are being infected

LilyPond2 · 11/10/2020 00:22

No. Didn't even seem worth the risk in the summer. Now that my area has one of the highest infection rates in the country I am definitely not tempted!

Guylan · 11/10/2020 00:25

@Oliversmumsarmy

Could someone explain why we are closing pubs and restaurants that were operating SD and were safe. The infection rate didn’t suddenly spike after pubs were opened. It started to spike when schools were opened so why aren’t we shutting schools instead of forcing people out of pubs and into homes where no SD no hygiene rules are in force.
I expect in the summer many eating at restaurants, drinking at pubs did it outside which will be reducing now the temperatures are dropping. It remains to be seen how much effect that will have in transmissions rates in these places.

The areas that are currently under more restrictions are not supposed to mix households. Newspapers are reporting there may be more areas - not all - under new restrictions next week and all those placed in the most strict category will find pubs, cafes will have to close and household mixing will also not be allowed.

I appreciate lockdowns have huge negative affects. Out of all the different possible future scenarios being discussed at the moment for the coming months I find Professor Devi Sridhar’s suggestion the most compelling. (Mileage may vary for others). She believes the cost of going for herd immunity is too high and if immunity doesn’t last not even achievable. However, she recognises repeated lockdowns are a very blunt instrument with a lot of v negative effects. Her suggestion is to look to the countries that have managed to get and keep virus levels down. They all had robust test, trace and isolate systems where test results are returned within 24 hours, at least 80% of people’s contacts are reached and there is high adherence to a rule of 14 days’ isolation for those exposed to the virus. This test/trace and isolate system was also combined with social distancing, masks, good hygiene etc.

She writes in detail about it in an article in a newspaper yesterday, if interested. Link here www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/10/continual-local-lockdowns-answer-covid-control?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Waxonwaxoff0 · 11/10/2020 00:25

@Oliversmumsarmy shutting schools would be disastrous for many children. I don't want anything to close but if I had to choose between pubs and schools I'd choose pubs.

Inkpaperstars · 11/10/2020 00:39

I wouldn't at the moment due to high risk pregnancy, but otherwise I would I think. My DM who is in her 80s has eaten out indoors in recent weeks, she tries to sit outside where possible but it often isn't.

It depends partly on personal risk and reward calculation I suppose. Also on if your area has strongly rising rates of infection, because if so you could be contributing to the problem by going out. I know it's good to support local businesses but if the upshot is they all get closed down again...

CKBJ · 11/10/2020 02:59

Personally haven’t been in a restaurant or pub since February and certainly don’t intend to change that now. However, I feel pubs/restaurants etc are being made scapegoats. The cases weren’t brilliant all summer but the huge increases tally with schools,colleges and universities. These places, unlike pubs,restaurants etc aren’t covid secure, 2m rule doesn’t apply, masks aren’t wore and 30+ people spend at least 5hours together.

HeronLanyon · 11/10/2020 04:18

No. Ate out several times a week pre Covid. Not since March.
Have once (last week) had drinks at outside pub table - well spaced felt fine. Was brilliant to order, chat this and that with bar staff, sit in public space with others just normally.

tappitytaptap · 11/10/2020 05:27

Yes. Once again mumsnet generally seems a lot more cautious than most people I know in real life, who are eating out regularly. I see plenty of people when I’m eating out, so seems the majority do still want to (thankfully for the economy and jobs)

HeronLanyon · 11/10/2020 05:33

It’s funny isn’t it ? Many people i know and who eat out a lot usually - central London here - just aren’t at all or very rarely. We seem to have such different experiences going on a lot at the moment.

Pepperama · 11/10/2020 05:37

No. we now know it’s aerosol transmission not just droplets so it’s much more risky indoors. I avoid indoors venues where I can, especially if poorly ventilated and you’d be in the same space for longer than 10/15 mins. Supermarkets should be safer as everyone is circulating so chance of exposure to high viral load over a period of time Is likely to be much smaller

PracticingPerson · 11/10/2020 05:42

There are two different propositions:

  1. Going to eat out but only with movers of your own household
  2. Going to eat out with people from other households

I wouldn't be doing either, but I think if rates are rising in your area that sitting round a table talking eating with masks of with people from other households seems unwise. I'd rather just meet people for a walk and avoid the chance.

PracticingPerson · 11/10/2020 05:43

Sorry, should of course say without masks

userxx · 11/10/2020 05:50

I did today, felt very safe, am in NW so probably the last chance for some time....

I'm really hoping we get a couple of days notice, I'll be trying to squeeze a meal in somewhere.

Popcornriver · 11/10/2020 05:54

No although I felt safe to do so over the summer. We had virtually no cases so I felt it was safe. The past month and a bit has put us in one of the worst hit areas.

MiracletoCome · 11/10/2020 05:56

No, not because of catching the virus, instead it is because I might end up having to isolate for two weeks, not worth it for a meal.

OverTheRainbow88 · 11/10/2020 06:01

I’ve stopped again now, mainly because of track and trace I’m not sure a 2 hour lunch out would be worth staying home for 2 Weeks with mad boys!!!!!

Also IMO a supermarket is way safer as majority of people wear masks and you aren’t there for 2 hours

Terrace58 · 11/10/2020 06:06

We used to eat our several times a week. I will not eat in a restaurant until this is over. We instead are giving our business to places that are providing takeaway options.

keziahthecat · 11/10/2020 06:12

I would do but I haven't as have two very small children and I can't fully trust them to behave for the whole meal yet and I know everyone is a bit more anxious than usual so wouldn't want to add to the stress with a tantrumming 2 year old. I do go to coffee shops with them though. I went in Friday and to be honest it did feel very busy, with little social distancing and poor ventilation.