Amid a covid resurgence, a restaurant is requiring masks again - and bracing for confrontation
As the delta variant of the coronavirus tears through the country, a Dallas-area restaurant group is requiring that its diners wear masks whenever they are not at their table. And it has anticipated what some customers might say about the move.
"Just in case you feel angry and want to call us names, we have prepared the following responses in advance," reads a tongue-in-cheek flier from Ellen's. "Sheeple. We know ewe are but what are we? Baaaa hahaha.
"Communist/Fascist/Socialist. Pick one please.
"Traitor/Anti-American. Just exercising our rights here."
Ellen's is among businesses looking to return to the kind of restrictions that were in place at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 612,000 people in the United States, despite local and state laws looking to thwart mask mandates.
In the past week, the number of new daily reported cases has increased by more than 50% nationwide. Deaths have risen by nearly 30%, and hospitalizations have increased by more than 40%. On Friday, 102,975 new cases were reported in the United States, and in Texas, the average for new cases has crept higher than 9,000 people a day, according to The Washington Post's database. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations in the state have risen by nearly 40% in the past week.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reversed its guidance on masks, saying indoor use will help prevent the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
On Thursday, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law an executive order prohibiting cities and other government entities from enacting vaccine requirements or mask mandates. The governor said the order was intended to "ensure the ability of Texans to preserve livelihoods while protecting lives."
Since the start of the pandemic, restaurant staffs have often been on the front lines of a public health problem that has become intertwined with a political battle over indoor mask guidance. Some employees have been yelled at or assaulted when enforcing mask requirements. Last year, at a Family Dollar store in Michigan, a security guard was fatally shot after he told a customer that her child had to wear a mask in the store.
"This whole thing with people not wanting to mask up, we're tired of it," said Ellen's CEO Joe Groves. "You can have all the political opinions you want, but when you come into this restaurant and berate an 18-year-old hostess that we have in our offices, you've crossed the line, and I'm tired of it."
The summer brought some respite from coronavirus restrictions in some areas, but the delta variant is spreading rapidly through unvaccinated communities nationwide. In many cities, including Los Angeles and St. Louis, indoor mask mandates have returned. That means that even as vaccination rates rise in states that had been lagging, infections remain a cause of concern for business owners.
"Please don't assume we will go bankrupt because of this. We survived death threats from NRA wack-jobs, so we should be okay not serving you meatloaf today," reads the Facebook message. Groves told The Post on Saturday that "we've been busier than ever this week."
Elsewhere, some restaurants are taking the opposite tack, saying only unvaccinated customers are welcome. Patrons are packing into music festivals, such as Lollapalooza, without masks.
Nationwide, the push to get people vaccinated continues. The Department of Veterans Affairs has mandated vaccinations for its more than 100,00 employees. Many other federal agencies are requiring proof of vaccination for their employees to return to the office. The White House and the Education Department are promoting vaccinations among young people and college students. Texas teachers have been threatened with fines if they enforce mask requirements as students return to classrooms.
Vaccinated people, some seeking a sense of normalcy, are growing increasingly frustrated as lockdowns and restrictions reenter shared spaces.
"We care about keeping people safe and keeping people healthy, and there are far more people that agree with us than don't," Groves said. "It's just a matter of how are we willing to tackle it."
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