Minnesota Bars & Restaurants Allowed To Resume Indoor Dining

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz will allow bars and restaurants to resume limited indoor service starting Monday as he also loosens up Minnesota’s coronavirus restrictions on youth sports, gyms, entertainment venues and churches.

The dialing back returns bars and restaurants about to where they were before the governor imposed a “pause” in response to soaring cases in November that kept them closed through the holiday season except for takeout and delivery service.

“The situation in Minnesota is undeniably better than it was last month,” Governor Walz said. “We have reasons to be optimistic, and Minnesotans’ sacrifice and commitment to their communities helped change the pandemic’s trajectory and saved lives. But we need to protect the progress we’ve made.”

Starting on January 11, restaurants and bars can open at 50% capacity, with no more than six people to a table or parties of two seated at the bar. Parties must be distanced six feet apart. A 10 p.m. service cutoff will remain in place.

Indoor entertainment venues such as movie theaters, bowling alleys and museums can reopen at 25% capacity for a maximum of 150 people. Gyms remain capped at 25% of capacity but the number of people allowed in will rise to 150, with classes allowed to resume for up to 25 people. Youth sports games can resume under indoor venue limits of 25% of capacity for a maximum of 150 spectators.

Places of worship remain open at 50% capacity but without an overall maximum capacity.