Outdoor dining at restaurants to begin today

In an update to existing health orders made on Tuesday 26 May, Governor Lujan-Grisham announced a "soft re-opening" for restaurants, effective today, Wednesday 27 May. According to the announcement made on the New Mexico Department of Health website, the updated order allows restaurants to offer "dine-in service in outdoor seating areas at up to 50 percent of their outdoor area fire code occupancy. The following stipulations apply:

• No dine-in service may be provided in indoor seating areas.
• Outdoor dine-in service may only be provided to patrons who are seated.  
• Tables must be placed with at least six feet of distance between one another. 
• No more than six patrons may be seated at any single table. 
• No bar or counter seating is permitted."

Note that the updated order does not apply to establishments classified as bars. 

A broader opening for restaurants is still planned for for June 1st.  According to the Governor's statement in the announcement, this soft opening will provide "an opportunity for restaurants to begin preparing for a wider reopening next week."
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​COVID Safe Practices for restaurants will continue to apply and must be adhered to during this soft opening phase.