'Open for business’: McMaster says SC restaurants can return to 100% capacity

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster announced Friday that South Carolina restaurants can now fill their tables without any capacity limits.

Previously, restaurants across the state were operating at 50% capacity. Now, under a new executive order they will be able to operate at 100% capacity.

“South Carolina is open for business” McMaster said. “Our state’s approach has been a measured, deliberate, and targeted one - aimed at keeping our economy open and our people safe.”

Other restaurant safety guidelines -- including the required use of face coverings for customers and staff – remain in place for the time being. Additionally, the governor’s “last call order,” which doesn’t allow the sale or consumption of alcohol in restaurants after 11:00 p.m., will remain in place until further notice.

Other safety measures that are strongly encouraged, but are no longer required include the following:

Restaurants should space indoor and outdoor tables 6 feet apart, to the extent possible.
Restaurants should limit seating each table to no more than 8 customers and patrons, exclusive of family units or members of the same household.
Restaurants should adopt and enforce a process to ensure that customers and patrons are able to maintain a minimum of 6 feet of separation from other parties while waiting to be seated.
Restaurants should minimize, modify, or discontinue services that allow customers and patrons to fill or refill their own beverage cups.

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McMaster announced restaurant restrictions two months ago as a summer spike in COVID-19 cases reached its peak.

The rate of new cases has declined significantly from that mid-July peak, but the steady decline stopped in late August. Newly diagnosed cases have been fluctuating since with schools restarting. South Carolina never dipped below the national average.

More than 143,500 people have contracted COVID-19 and 3,200 have died in the state since the pandemic began, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control reported.

Officials reported just 229 new cases Thursday and 197 new cases Wednesday — some of the lowest totals since May. But health officials said the low numbers were the result of work on a new electronic database to report lab results and the only cases they counted were reported by email or fax. The cases typically reported in the database will be added to South Carolina’s totals when the work is done.

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The rate of positive tests remained above 10% both days, signs that COVID-19 is still being spread.

Although he lifted restaurant restrictions, the governor Thursday asked the businesses to use common sense and keep as many of their seats outside or in large rooms as possible.

The ban on congregating at bars remains in place too, and McMaster said he has no plans now to increase the allowed attendance at football games and concerts.

McMaster said he continues to weigh a number of factors as he decides what restrictions to keep and which ones to lift.

“There is all kinds of health. There’s mental health. There’s physical health. There’s economic health,” the governor said. “Each is as important as the other.”