Get ready to belly up to the bar again, but only if you're hungry

They don't want the loud, crowded sports bar type activities were people are plastered and yelling at their buddies. They figure if people need to buy food and not just drinks it will cut down on that sort of socializing. That's the theory, at least.

A better rule would be to prohibit music and TVs so people don't need to shout to have a conservation and people are less likely to linger after the meal.

Cancel weekends then no one will get it.

That’s the theory anyway. What the government wants is for people to only be at these establishments to eat for subsistence (*with members of your household) and leave, therefore limiting your exposure time indoors and limiting servers’ time near you. Alcoholic beverages may be served with dinner. The idea is that feeding oneself is essential, but cocktail hour or a few beers after work is non-essential. This rule also eliminates the possibility of being a standee ordering drinks behind seated patrons waiting for a seat to open up.

I am not endorsing this idea or claiming that this idea is enforceable or even enforced - I’m just saying what it is.

Of course people are just going to pick at the least expensive appetizer and binge drink at the bar as they did before. And of course this is only helpful to a narrow scope of establishments as alcoholic beverage sales comprise a significant portion of a bar’s sales mix, surprisingly enough.

It takes more time to eat and drink at the same time, than just to have a drink. I'm not sure this is a good thing.

Not all bars are created equal. The following have always been deal breakers for my wife and me:

• Crowding,
• A bar so loud that you can't carry on a conversation,
• Too many TVs,
• Lines out front,
• Multiple rows of people at the bar waiting to be served,
• Arcade games,
• DJs,
• No-neck bouncers, and
• Handstamps or bracelets.

We walk into a place that has any of the above? We turn around and leave. Our taste in bars is quiet, upscale, and civilized--not every bar experience consists of slamming carbombs at the Faneuil Hall location of J.T. McPickleshitter's. I don't mind $9 pints if it keeps the dipshits away.

Point is, I see no reason why a meal should be required for me to have a couple dignified drinks at a table properly distanced from the next table over (maybe even sit and read a paper--remember those?). A plate of deviled eggs is not going to make me invisible to the virus.

On a side note, a place in Newburyport wouldn't seat us on their patio for after-dinner drinks and dessert because their desserts were made at an offsite bakery--this shit has gotten absurd.

Each booth has its own independent ventilation system, independent of the bartender, too. Fresh intake air could be blown in through the top, with outflow air ducts headed outside at the bottom. The bartending area could be overpressurized so that fresh air would push into the booths when serving to reduce worker exposure.

Just spitballing here - I'm betting that infection control folks working with field hospitals are way ahead of us on what the design could be.

Move over capsule hotels ... this is a capsule bar! The booths should seat 2, maybe a bigger even 4 if people have been distancing together or who choose to share air. This could actually be done with tents or tent fabric inside of a building.

Quick - let's patent this!

I'd be wearing my SCUBA or similar filtered pressurized air supply.

Not scary if you're ex-governor Paul LePage in Boothbay Harbor

“81 employees of one Massachusetts Walmart test positive for coronavirus”

https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20200503/81-employees-of-one-massac...

“2 more Walmart stores in Massachusetts closed; workers to be tested for coronavirus”

https://www.wcvb.com/article/2-more-walmart-stores-in-massachusetts-clos...

It’s amazing what you learn when you actually read/watch news besides The Daily Stormer or whatever it is you use to get talking points.

Yes, they sold food, but the rest of the store should have been closed off