Diners now required to give contact information
Restaurants will collect data for tracing purposes
Expect some changes when you dine out in Shelby County.
When you eat at a restaurant, don’t be surprised when you are asked to provide your name and phone number. In fact, every guest in your party will be asked to provide that information, as well.
It’s all part of the Shelby County Health Department’s latest COVID-19 directive that was issued Tuesday.
The directive states: “The facility must maintain a record of all patrons to include, at a minimum, first name, last name, time of service/attendance, and cell phone or other contact number to allow for contact tracing in the event a COVID+ case is identified. Restaurants must maintain seating charts for 21 days to assist with contact tracing. Records must be maintained for a minimum of 30 days after the date on which the service occurred.”
The new protocols in the directive took effect at midnight Wednesday.
Every restaurant where customers dine in, no matter the size, is required to follow the same rules. The only exceptions are takeout, delivery and fast food establishments.
The Beauty Shop has created a form that will be dropped at each table. The hostess will fill out the name and phone number of the person making the reservation, along with the time sat and the table number. There will also be spaces for up to six guests — that’s the maximum allowed per table right now — to add their contact information.
“We will also attach to this form a printout of the health department information stating these requirements,” said Karen Carrier, The Beauty Shop owner. “I thought this would be better
for them to see this is a mandate and we aren’t trying to take info randomly.”
Huey’s will also implement a similar system. When guests are seated, they will be given the form to fill out. When the server comes to take the order, they will pick up the information. With eight restaurants in Shelby County, all with large volume, Huey’s expects to have to manage a lot of paperwork.
Ryan Trimm said every restaurant in his Across the Board Restaurant Group — which includes Sweet Grass, Sunrise Memphis, 117 Prime and 3rd & Court — will present guests forms to fill out as well. The new directive also reiterated that masks are required at all times, except when eating and drinking. The original directive to wear masks in public spaces was issued July 3.
Restaurants are also now required to close at 10 p.m., according to the directive issued Tuesday.
In a Tuesday Health Department news conference, Memphis Restaurant
Association President Ernie Mellor pleaded with everyone — restaurants and patrons — to follow the new protocols.
Jennifer Chandler is the food and dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.