Restaurants in Medicine Hat fight through the fifth wave of the pandemic

“We do a lot more frequent cleaning, sanitizing everything that’s touchable all day after all the customers come through. Like debit machines, just upping all the sanitizing.”

The bakery uses the Restrictions Exemption Program to protect customers.

This allows them to continue indoor dining by requiring a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of vaccination.

“I have a lot of people who have their license and they’re ready to go, other people are surprised by it.”

At the bakery you can dine-in or just shop. People wishing to dine-in must show their proof of vaccination.

“It all depends, right? Because we kinda got the in-between, you can come in and shop and do your thing you just can’t stay unless you have it.”

Todd Lindsay is the general manager of Skinny’s Smoke House. He says the protective measure of scanning QR codes can also be a factor that takes away from the experience as it may be an uncomfortable first impression.

“The whole experience of a restaurant is not just to go there and eat food. It’s to have fun and socialize with people and see people from around town and get out. It’s really sad people aren’t able or feel like they can’t do that right now.”

Lindsay added that many people may just not be interested in going to a restaurant right now because the experience is not the same as it used to be.

“Definitely in the new year things have been a lot slower, people aren’t coming out as much. I’m not sure if that has to do with the new wave or if it’s the economy or just people being reluctant to go out.”

These businesses are among dozens of local restaurants throughout Medicine Hat that need all the support they can get through these difficult times.

by Gavin Miller

Restaurants in Medicine Hat fight through the fifth wave of the pandemic

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