CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that bars, restaurants and other facilities serving food as being allowed to reopen in full starting at 12:01 a.m. Thursday morning. This is not the case. All bars and restaurants must still maintain social distancing between customers, enforce state mask policies and perform rigorous cleaning procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. WCPO regrets the error.
According to a new amendment in the Dine Safe Ohio Order issued by Lance Himes, interim director of the Ohio Department of Health, retail food establishments may now offer self-serve items to customers.
This amendment does not apply to buffet-style restaurants, according to the Melanie Amato, press secretary for the Ohio Department of Health. The amendment only impacts retail food environments where patrons take self-serve food to-go, like gas stations or grab-and-go pizza businesses.
The amendment does not impact the last-call order preventing alcohol sales in bars and restaurants past 10:00 p.m.
