Phase 2 In Seattle Starts Friday, June 19th

On June 5th, Governor Inslee announced that King County had been approved to begin the reopening process - otherwise known as “Phase 1.5,” “Modified Phase 1,” and “Patio Season.” We wrote up an FAQ about what to expect, as well as gathered lists of restaurants, bars, breweries, and spots with outdoor seating that have reopened. But now that Phase 2 is approved in King County as of Friday, June 19th, what does this mean, and how is it going to be different from the past couple of weeks?

In terms of going out to eat, almost nothing has changed. Restaurants can extend their indoor spaces from 25% to 50% capacity, but all the same rules apply as before: no more than five people in your party, no bar seating, you might be required to wear a mask, and staff will be sanitizing everything very often. And, tables will still be spaced six feet apart from each other to promote social distancing - so we can’t guarantee how well you’ll be able to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations like you normally would.

Other things to know about Phase 2: you can work out at an actual gym again instead of doing burpees around your apartment, you can get your pets groomed, and you could even head to U-Village and return, in person, that fateful pair of destructed boyfriend jeans you bought online in March.

For the full list of Phase 2 Guidelines, check out this long and very boring King County document. If you’re still not ready to go out, check our collection of guides to takeout and delivery.