SC governor allows restaurants to fill to 100% capacity

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Gov. Henry McMaster has issued a new executive order to allow restaurants to operate at full capacity starting Friday evening.

The order goes into effect immediately and lifts the 50% capacity restriction that restaurants have been under since reopening in May.

The governor kept the mask mandate in place for diners and employees. Diners may, of course, remove their masks for eating and drinking once seated.

McMaster’s order to stop alcohol sales at 11 p.m. each night also still stands.

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

The following measures are strongly encouraged, but are no longer required, according to the governor’s office:

• 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.

Here’s the governor’s full executive order:

• SC governor says he’ll lift restaurant capacity restrictions ‘soon’
• Gov. McMaster issues executive order prohibiting bars, restaurants from selling alcohol past 11 p.m.
• McMaster urges strengthening of local face mask ordinances
• SC governor says indoor dining at restaurants, bars can happen May 11

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