New COVID-19 guidelines to change dining out in Queensland

Dining out will never be the same again once the coronavirus lockdown is lifted based on strict new guidelines that may need to be in place before Queensland’s cafes and restaurants reopen.

DINERS who do not have the COVIDSafe tracking app may have to give their name and phone number to front-of-house staff before dining out in Queensland post-COVID-19 lockdowns.

That is one of a series of proposed guidelines unveiled by the hospitality industry for reopening the state’s cafes and restaurants.

Restaurant and Catering Australia is working with the State Government to get businesses back up and running, and chief executive Wes Lambert has submitted reopening guidelines to national cabinet.

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Group meals could be off the table for a while yet.

The proposed measures include a 1.5m distancing rule ­between tables, no condiments on tables, hand sanitisers throughout establishments, disposable menus and social distancing in waiting areas.

It comes with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk claiming that June was a “good, ambitious target” for cafes, restaurants and bars to reopen.

It is understood that National Cabinet, which will meet today and on Friday, could tell bosses to prepare to reopen on June 1 – possibly earlier, depending on the uptake of the coronavirus tracing app.

But a recovery road map from the Queensland Government for businesses to start planning to reopen is still up to a fortnight away.

The Premier said that she would be speaking to industry this week, with reopening cafes and restaurants the next step following the staged return of schools.

“I can't say whether it's early-June or late-June, but I'm going to have those discussions, but as (Chief Health ­Officer) Doctor (Jeannette) Young has said, we’ve got to take these things a couple of weeks at a time, we can't do it all at once,” she said.