LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Without widespread mask mandates, restaurants are finding new ways to keep their staff safe. CC’s Low Carb Kitchen downtown announced on Facebook customers will need to have a COVID vaccine to dine inside.
All of the staff has been vaccinated.
"After everything with the pandemic, we don't want to go through another shutdown so that's why we're doing this,” owner Corey Milliman said.
The restaurant will start requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining starting Wednesday. Milliman says they don't want to turn people away.
Unvaccinated customers can dine outside or present a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours to eat indoors. Exceptions will also be made for those under 12.
"I don't want to know why you didn't get a vaccine, that's not my job,” Milliman said. “I don't want to know about any medical conditions, I don't need to know that.”
Milliman charged ahead after seeing Delta cases rise.
"While we might be the first, I'm hoping we're not the only ones," he said.
CC's isn't the only restaurant facing a tough decision.
Stacy Roof with the Kentucky Restaurant Association says owners don't want to have to monitor their guests.
“It's the hospitality industry, not the checklist industry,” she said. “They really want to make sure that people who come to them are comfortable."
New York City is requiring vaccinations to eat inside, see a play, or go to the gym. But without widespread mandates in Kentucky, restaurants bear the burden.
Roof expects each one to make the decision that's right for them.
"We want them to do whatever is best for their business, their employees, their customers and for everyone to feel as safe as possible,” she said.
Milliman anticipates pushback and says he isn't here to tell people to get vaccinated.
“I think if customers have a safe place to eat, we’re providing that for everybody, then we don’t have to worry about another dining room shutdown right. If we’re all doing the same thing,” he said.
Milliman’s goal is to keep his customers safe and his doors open.
CC's says they're updating ticketing and reservation systems so people can provide their proof of vaccination online, in advance.
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