Who's Eating In Restaurants And Who's Not?

[BabyBoomers2]

Update:

Spent a Friday and Saturday in CO Springs, in the middle of July, and nobody, except some restaurant employees at BJ's Restaurant/Brewhouse, were wearing a mask. Stayed at the Marriott Hotel and nobody, including restaurant employees, were wearing masks. Went to the Pro-Rodeo Hall of Fame Induction and nobody was wearing masks. Chairs, for attendees, were put right next to each other.

Two weeks later, was in Dodge City, Kansas for a PRCA rodeo and only seen a couple of people at a Mexican Restaurant wearing a mask. Nobody going thru, or working in, The Boot Hill Museum, wearing a mask. Nobody at the casino wearing them either.

During both trips, we had our masks with us, but didn't wear them either. We were both vaccinated (Moderna/me w/VA) and (Pfizer/wife in Ft Collins) this last March/April.

Since being back home, have gone to iHop for breakfast. Nobody wearing a mask in, but a few employees were wearing one. Yesterday, went to the Breakfast Club (Loveland), nobody wearing a mask, including the employees. But, did hear a few people coughing. Didn't hear that when we went to iHop. Also, didn't hear anyone coughing in CO Springs or Dodge City either.

We continue to wear our mask into a grocery store, or other indoor places where we think we need to.

[cowboyxjon]

I think that sounds reasonable. I don’t wear a mask at all anymore, unless asked.

I’ve noticed a mixture of people who have chosen to wear them and people who don’t wear them, and I think that’s fine, as I respect personal choice and taking action in accordance with your level of comfort. And as for the coughing, there are colds and whatnot that are going around. I totally get it - coughing could be a sign of COVID, but it could also be a cold or allergy. My (vaccinated) partner was coughing up a storm last week and got a COVID test just as a precaution given all of this talk about breakthrough infections, but the results were negative.

Since this thread is about restaurants, just wanted to edit to add:

* Ate at Denny’s last week for the first time in a long time. The staff members were wearing masks, but the other people dining there were not. What was most impressive to me is that while we were there (for dinner!), the number of people coming in to pick up take-out orders was impressive. Way more than I would have imagined.

* Went to one of the restaurants in one of the casinos in Black Hawk over the weekend. Same situation, staff members were masked, but other people dining were not. Seemed like the restaurant was trying to space people out to try to get some distancing between tables.

[brightdoglover]

I eat at a couple of restaurants with distanced tables (and am fully vaxxed) with high ceilings/good ventilation.

I know several people who were fully vaxed and got COVID. The older ones had a pretty rough time for a week or so, but no hospitalizations.

[BabyBoomers2]

My BIL, wife's brother, got somewhat sick a few months ago, got tested and didn't have Covid. However, a couple of weeks ago, he was coughing a lot and his doctor told him he had some bronchitis, gave him an anti-biotic and he done another test and this one came up positive. He told us that he wasn't told whether he have the Variant or Covid 19. As of last Friday, his coughing has now entered his tonsils, that he still has at 71 yrs. old. He can feel it there. He is calling his doctor today about this.

He has to get retested weekly, until the test comes out negative. And, btw, he lives in south Florida, tells us he wears a mask all of the time, but shares a house with two roommates. He goes to local Publix for his supper quite often, because he doesn't like cooking. He has also been fully vaccinated.

Wife and I are both Diabetic II and have to be very cautious of what is going on. Both of us are in early 70's. The most that has happened to us so far, is getting some diarrhea each time we have to go inside a grocery store or if we have to go inside Walmart.

But, like already stated, didn't have any problems, not even diarrhea, when we were in CO Springs or Dodge City. And, while in Dodge City, we had to go into Walmart there and didn't have a thing happen to us afterwards.

[LHS79]

The air quality lately due to the CA. wildfires is making a lot of people cough and become congested. I run and bike quite a bit and notice it here in Co. Spgs- have not seen Pikes Peak for a few days and when it is 90+ outside it is definitely not pleasant.

I know a lot of people like me that are not dining out as much anymore (if at all) due to the rising menu prices and lack of "deals". Seems like a majority of places are trying to recoup their lost income during the 2 shutdowns and of course the increased minimum wages/commodity prices etc...

[BabyBoomers2]

We eat out more than we should, but many, many Seniors do. After awhile, getting "take-out" gets old, but to pick the right restaurants where people aren't hacking/coughing so much, is what we try to do.

It's really weird though, that when we were in CO Springs and Dodge City, we didn't wear a mask at all and didn't have diarrhea at all. Come back to Loveland and.........diarrhea each time we go into either Walmart, Safeway or where ever.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

My husband had throat cancer, and the radiation treatment damaged his epiglottis. He has trouble swallowing due to that, and coughs a lot. Just because you hear someone coughing, it doesn't mean that they are sick with COVID. Maybe it's just post nasal drip

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

My husband had throat cancer, and the radiation treatment damaged his epiglottis. He has trouble swallowing due to that, and coughs a lot. Just because you hear someone coughing, it doesn't mean that they are sick with COVID. Maybe it's just post nasal drip

True, BUT, now some people will automatically think of COVID or the Variant..........and, for good reasons. There are those in society that will go anywhere, even if they have COVID or the Variant.

My BIL tested positive for either COVID or the Variant, and because he knows of nobody that can do certain things for him, he must do himself. Like, go inside a bank (he doesn't bank on a computer) or buy his dinner at a grocery store. He knows it's wrong for him to go places, but doesn't have a choice.

There are those that have people that can do things for them, but they refuse to ask for help and do things themselves. Heck, there are those that will go to work with a bad cold or the flu. They don't get sick pay, so..........

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

True, BUT, now some people will automatically think of COVID or the Variant..........and, for good reasons. There are those in society that will go anywhere, even if they have COVID or the Variant.

My BIL tested positive for either COVID or the Variant, and because he knows of nobody that can do certain things for him, he must do himself. Like, go inside a bank (he doesn't bank on a computer) or buy his dinner at a grocery store. He knows it's wrong for him to go places, but doesn't have a choice.

There are those that have people that can do things for them, but they refuse to ask for help and do things themselves. Heck, there are those that will go to work with a bad cold or the flu. They don't get sick pay, so..........

Just responding to your earlier statement that you try to "pick the right restaurants where people aren't hacking/coughing too much." Hacking or coughing doesn't automatically mean that the people around you have COVID!

[COcheesehead]

We still continue to eat out and have throughout the pandemic. Eating outdoors if available. Both of us have the vaccine.

We recently flew and the airlines mandate masks, but they let you remove them to eat or drink so what does that really do?

We continue to live our lives in the real world and not a world of fear. Going out as we see fit.

I am often reminded of a funny story I heard one time about a nervous flyer. They approached their pilot looking for words of encouragement and reassurances on the safety of flight. The pilot when quizzed responded that “we don’t always get to pick how we will die.”

So get the vaccine and go live your life.