Minnesota bars, restaurants and other businesses have no more COVID restrictions. Though some cities have their own.
May 28—No seating limits. No dinner tables spread far apart — or state-required standing 6 feet apart in line. No more ban on bar-jockeying, sweaty dance crowds or mosh pits.
No. More. COVID. Restrictions.
(Unless the bar, restaurant, or business — or a local government — requires them.)
As of Friday, all statewide coronavirus restrictions for Minnesota bars, restaurants, event centers — and all other businesses — are lifted, in accordance with a plan announced earlier this month by Gov. Tim Walz, who instituted the first restrictions some 14 months ago when the pandemic first arrived in Minnesota.
"Today is long-awaited by Minnesota's bars and restaurants who have been struggling through the past year due to COVID-19 restrictions," Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association Executive Director Tony Chesak said in a statement. We're thrilled to be fully open for business for Minnesotans to gather with friends and family."
To be clear, Minneapolis and St. Paul businesses are still under mask orders. The St. Paul order requires "all Individuals to wear a face covering indoors at all times when social distancing of at least 6 feet is not maintained, except for temporary removal of face covering when eating or drinking."
And many businesses are expected to continue requiring masks and asking customers to keep their distance from each other, especially when standing in the checkout line. The pandemic isn't over.
The news might seem anticlimactic. After all, earlier this month, Walz lifted early closing times for bars and restaurants and capacity limits, and soon after, he lifted the mask mandate in accordance with new federal guidelines.
Nonetheless, Friday's date means that there are no more statewide COVID-19 restrictions, on anything. The only requirement is that all businesses must maintain a coronavirus plan to generally keep employees and customers safe.
