L.A. Joins the List of Counties Banning Outdoor Dining

Los Angeles County will shut down outdoor dining beginning Wednesday at 10 p.m. and all on-premise dining will be banned for at least three weeks, according to Eater L.A. Restaurants will still be able to offer takeout and delivery during this time. 

As daily new COVID-19 cases reach 200,000 across the country, several states, including Washington, Minnesota and Michigan, have closed indoor dining, but only a handful have gone so far as to close outdoor dining. L.A. County restricted outdoor dining to 50% capacity about a week ago, and a doubling of cases led it to the decision to shut it down completely. Now, the county joins a few other local governments, including New Mexico and Oregon, that have closed both indoor and outdoor dining as COVID-19 cases surge.

In the restaurant segment, outdoor dining has generally been considered safer than indoor dining because it has better airflow. While many restaurants have been looking into tents and igloos to continue offering the service during the colder months, health experts told Business Insider that these tents are less safe than being outside with a breeze. In fact, seven health experts told ABC News that they wouldn't dine outside in a coronavirus hot spot. 

A winter slowdown is already expected to potentially erase two million in job gains from September and August and restrictions on outdoor dining are putting restaurants at risk of further economic damage, especially as many have already been investing in winterization efforts. New York City's outdoor dining program, for example, was extended year-round and helped save nearly 100,000 jobs, with more than 10,000 restaurants participating. 

Some cities are offering ways to help restaurants that have closed down on-premise dining, including a $10 million grant program in Chicago. Additionally, restaurants continue to urge Congress to pass the Restaurants Act, which would provide billions of dollars in targeted aid to the struggling industry. 

With one in six restaurants already closed, these further restrictions will likely put many more at risk, especially without any federal financial support on the horizon.