HOW TO BE A GOOD DINER

Know the rules

• As of June 22, Victorian restaurants are allowed to seat up to 50 diners in each enclosed space, subject to table distancing of 1.5 metres and an overall density of one person per 4 square metres. Restaurants and cafes should display their allowed numbers at the entrance.
• Diners are requested to give their first name and phone number to assist in contact tracing, if necessary.
• Alcohol may now be served without food, but must be consumed while seated.
• Up to 20 diners may sit together.

Don't try to bend the rules

• Restaurants and the people who work there are subject to enormous fines for breaches. Don't put them in a tough spot.
• Stay home if you're sick! Don't bring your sniffle to your local - every business in the state is terrified of needing to close again because of a COVID-19 case.

Be understanding

• Restrictions on numbers mean every bum on every seat counts. Spend big and don't linger. This is not the right time to sit for hours on one coffee with your laptop or a big, fat novel.
• Double sittings and time limits are not there to annoy you, they are to help the restaurant survive. If you're asked to arrive at 6pm and leave by 7.30pm it's because your table needs to be sanitised for the people coming at 8pm.
• Same with set menus - they make the spend more predictable and reduce waste, both of which help keep costs down for the business and in the end, for diners too.
• Be patient and kind - restaurateurs and staff are dealing with a slew of new and ever-changing rules and regulations, all of which are there to keep us safe and healthy.