TRENTON, NJ – Today, Governor Phil Murphy issued a stern warning that he will come down very heavy-handed against restaurants who dare to violate his new indoor dining executive order. Maybe not Nicholas’ Barrel and Roost or his other favorite spots, but others, yes.
“With the resumption today as of 6:00 a.m. of indoor dining, let this be a warning to everybody out there,” Murphy said. “The limits we have placed on capacities and the public health protocols we have put in place are not kind suggestions. They are mandated, they are required. We will not tolerate any violations and we will not be afraid to come down hard and make an example of those who think the rules don’t apply to them. We want you to welcome your customers back inside, but that must be done safely and in accordance with the rules.”
Now an opportunity exists for businesses to go to “COVID-19 war” with their competitors, narcing them out for having one too many patrons, tables a foot or two too close. The army of COVID-19 Karens are also probably well prepared for today’s reopening, so restaurant owners, don’t let them catch you in the act of killing innocent people with the new restrictions.
Word is Murphy who doesn’t walk around with a tape measure, might now do just that as he looks to shut down indoor dining to prove to the knucklehead governors in the other 49 states that he was right all along.
“There is nothing more that I would like, nor I suspect my colleagues to do, than to eventually expand restaurant capacities. But I cannot and we will not be able to do that if this weekend or the weeks that follow see a slew of restaurant owners and managers flagrantly violating the rules that are in place,” he said. “And again overwhelmingly, folks have been doing the right things. And for as much pain as this pandemic of six months has put on restaurant owners, on gyms, to pick two categories, the overwhelming amount of the owners and managers and proprietors have been doing the right thing. So let’s all work together for a safe return of indoor dining, and we can ensure that there will be better days ahead.”
As for Murphy, he says he won’t be dining indoors this weekend.
” I will not be dining indoors. I’m going to be dining out. I think twice I’ll be outdoors, assuming Mother Nature cooperates. And that’s not because I’ve got some issue, but I love being outside. The fact of the matter is we’ve got restaurants up and down the state that have allowed really creatively, and their municipalities have been their partners in allowing you to dine outside. I won’t be able to say that in December, so I’m going to take advantage of it while we’ve got it,” he said.