11 Questions About Dining Out During Phase 2 Answered For You Before You Head Out for Dinner Tonight

2020-06-19 , 5:10 pm

Do you know that the Hungry Ghost Festival will start on 19 August 2020?

And here in Singapore, the first day that we can dine in is 19 June 2020.

This is all due to COVID-19.

Wait, is it just me or…

But who cares, right?

You should probably know by now then you can makan in restaurants or hawker centres from today onwards, but do you have to do what these folks do?

I’ve been trying to push my teeth with a mask on and it hasn’t been pretty so far.

So, here 11 questions about dining out during Phase Two—answered for you.

Are Buffets Still Open?

If you’ve not eaten anything for the last 2.5 months just for a single spread of buffet today, bad news: self-serving buffet is not allowed.

Buffet line catering (i.e. those buffets you have after some event) isn’t allowed, too, though it makes sense since there shouldn’t be any events anyways.

However.

Buffets whereby the servers serve the food over are still allowed, since that’s like ala carte. But seriously, I wonder why you call that a buffet.

Do I need to Use Safe-Entry when I’m in a Restaurant?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: Yeeeeeeeeesssssss.

In fact, this doesn’t apply just to restaurants but to every shop you’re going to visit today. So if you’ve on a shopping spree tonight, be prepared for a thousand tabs in your internet browser.

What if I’m Just Buying Bubble Tea or Dabao-ing? Still need Safe-Entry?

I don’t know why you’re so reluctant to use Safe-Entry, but if you’re not dining in and have decided to dabao from a restaurant, you don’t need to use Safe-Entry.

If my Household Has 6 People, Can We Sit in the Same Table?

Phase Two is the best time for you to know who’s the most hated person in your household, because you can’t—tables in restaurants should have been arranged in a way that can seat only five on one table, so one of you guys has to sit alone somewhere.

But anyways, you’re not supposed to come out in a group of more than 5—even if you’re from the same household.

Do I Need to Wear a Mask When I Go to the Toilet While Dining?

Unless you intend to bring your dumplings into the toilet to eat them, you’d have to wear a mask.

The only time you can remove your mask is when you’re eating or drinking.

If you want to follow the rules to the T, you should put on your mask after you’ve done eating while you wait for your friend Bryan to finish up his food. So don’t be a Bryan who’s always eating two times slower than others.

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Can I Sit on the Seats That Are Crossed Out Even When I’m in a Group of Less Than 5 People?

No. By right, even if a seat is crossed off, there should be tables that can seat five people.

For a table that has five seats and three are crossed out, it’s a table for two and not five.

So yes, good luck trying to find a table for five in a hawker centre. At least that’s what I see.

Reader Bao: You were already out?

Who isn’t?

Is it Very Crowded Now?

I can’t speak for anyone, but evidence seems to say so.

For a start, images have been circulating online showing how crowded places have been since the clock struck 12 this morning.

And Chope, an online restaurant booking platform, has 15k reservations on the day that Phase Two was announced.

So yes; based on numbers, I’d suggest that you start dining in on 20 June instead. 20 June 2021, that is.

Any Changes When I Have my Chendol in Hawker Centres?

Goody, if you’ve asked this question, you must have downloaded our app. If not, download here to understand why chendol is such a bigly thingy in Goody Feed.

Secondly, there’s no difference except that you’d have to clear your own trays.

In the past, when you don’t do that, you’d only receive stares from uncles. Now, there would be people who would remind you to do it.

Reader Bao: The uncles moved from eye power to mouth power?

No. Safe-Distancing Ambassadors will do it.

So don’t malu yourself. Clear your own trays, please.

Like that, Restaurant I Must Also Clear my Own Trays Ah?

No—the rules apply only in hawker centres. But you can do the world a flavour but keeping the table clean so the cleaner won’t need to touch your dirty tissue paper.

Also, uncles will stare at you.

So Would Tables be Spaced Further Apart?

By today, all tables should have a space of at least 1 metre. I’m so looking at you, Sheng Kee Dessert.

The 1-metre distance will also apply in every context in the restaurant—like the queues and, erm, just about anything.

Would All Bars and Pubs be Closed?

Bars and pubs that sell food as well can reopen, but alcoholic drinks are not permitted after 10:30pm.

However, do note that not all restaurants would reopen; some were caught off-guard by Lawrence Wong’s white shirt and his sudden announcement, so they would remain closed until further notice.

Therefore, before you make your way to your favourite restaurant, call in advance first.

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