PRINCETON, NJ Restaurant Dining Guide Announcement

Indoor Dining, Movies get OK to Resume Sept. 4 with Restrictions

Restaurants statewide will be able to open for indoor dining at 25 percent capacity and with social distancing between tables and other restrictions beginning 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, under an executive order that Gov. Phil Murphy said he would sign today.

The governor said the executive order also will allow movie theaters and other indoor performance venues to reopen Sept. 4 with capacity capped at the lesser of 25 percent or 150 individuals. Face masks and social distancing will be required. In addition, the governor announced that capacity limits for the following indoor gatherings will be increased to the lesser of 25 percent or 150 individuals (from 100): religious services and celebrations; weddings; funerals; memorial services and political activities.

“We are able to take all these steps today because of the hard work millions of you have done to keep pushing down our positivity rate and our rate of transmission, and all the other health metrics we follow, to where we are comfortable and confident in taking them,” Gov. Murphy said. Indoor dining has been prohibited since March, which also is when movie theaters and many other types of establishments were forced to shut down due to COVID-19.

Among the additional indoor dining rules are the following:
• Tables must be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
• Seating is limited to a maximum of eight individuals per table — unless from an immediate family or the same household.
• Staff must wear face masks at all times.
• Diners must wear face masks when they are not in their seats.
• Food and beverages can only be consumed while diners are seated.
• Restaurants that provide food service at their bars may allow patrons to dine at the bar – provided that all diners are kept at proper social distances.
• Reservations will be encouraged for greater control of customer traffic.
• Buffets, salad bars and other self-service options will be prohibited.
• Establishments must follow strict ventilation requirements including: windows must be opened to ensure a proper flow of fresh air into the dining areas; air conditioner units must be turned so that they’re allowing for the maximum amount of outdoor air to be introduced to the dining area.

For more information, visit https://nj.gov/governor/ or https://www.nj.gov/health/.