Toronto restaurant asks their unvaccinated customers to eat outdoors
Unvaccinated people are being politely asked to dine outdoors by a Toronto restaurant that's the latest one to make their policies public.
Oakwood Hardware made a lengthy post to social media about their honour-based policy over the weekend, smartly turning off comments.
"With the volatility of the weather and our limited capacity to have diners indoors, we ask respectfully that if you are not vaccinated, that you choose outdoor dining when available," reads the post.
"This is not a debate about vaccine efficacy - I and all staff are vaccinated - it is about the fact that since there is no provincially mandated 'passport' each business has to make up their own guidelines with regard to vaccinated vs. unvaccinated diners indoors."
The restaurant is known for comfort food like fried chicken and burgers accompanied by local craft beer, and is run by Anne Sorrenti.
"The response has been 99 per cent positive. The one per cent is quite nasty," Sorrenti tells blogTO. "I am not asking anyone's status. It's their choice to come to dine or not."
Restaurants have been coming under fire recently simply for posting their vaccine policies, some just for noting that all staff are fully vaccinated. Trolls have targeted some spots with negative reviews and social media spam online.
Toronto restaurant owner calls for vaccine passports to restrict diners to only those vaccinated https://t.co/IJCE9bhZ2t #Toronto #TorontoFood #TorontoRestaurant
— blogTO (@blogTO) July 24, 2021
"Before you begin to type a response to this post please be mindful of the fact that this business has endured a myriad of challenges including fire and floods pre pandemic, so I do not set these parameters without full awareness that it may impact business adversely with some of you," the post reads.
The restaurant goes on to say that they require contact tracing be carried out and masks to be worn indoors while not eating or drinking "and we expect that these minor asks will make us all a little safer."
The post also makes it clear that the policies are set by owner Sorrenti, not her staff.
Jesse Milns
