Kuwait City: Restaurants and cafes in Kuwait have started receive dine-in customers after months of closure over the Covid-19 pandemic.
Starting Sunday, the Kuwaiti government has allowed restaurants and cafes to receive customers for dine-in only from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m., reports Xinhua news agency.
After 8 p.m., only takeaway and home delivery orders are permitted.
After the government banned dine-in venues because of the spread of the virus, many restaurants launched drive-in service that provided food for customers in their cars, in an attempt to keep business going and have some profits.
Although dine-in services have resumed, people will still have to reserve a table before entering the restaurant or cafe, use digital payment transactions and avoid cash payments.
Workers in restaurants and cafes must measure their temperature on a daily basis.
The health authorities in Kuwait launched a large campaign during the past weeks to vaccinate workers in restaurants, cafes, cooperative societies, mosques and commercial centres, and all other groups that have direct control with customers.
Fayez Al-Saleh, a 24-year-old Kuwaiti citizen, expressed his joys to Xinhua about the government decision to allow dine-in cafes and restaurants from today.
“I used to meet my friends and talk to them for hours or more. There is no place to spend time in, except for cafes and restaurants.
“I am happy that the life we used to know is returning. I have missed these moments during the partial curfew,” he added.
Omar Kamel, a 46-year-old Lebanese who runs a cafe in Hawalli Governorate, told Xinhua that he suffered great losses during the period of closure and had to lay off many employees with low demands.
But the new dine-in decision has ignited his aspiration to overcome the crisis, he added.
But for Ali Al-Saad, a retired teacher, going to restaurants during the current period is still not quite advisable despite the vaccination.
“Despite all the health precautionary measures, I feel that the time is not yet right to go to restaurants and cafes. I am satisfied with takeaway orders and home meals with my family,” Al-Saad told Xinhua.
