HARRISBURG (AP) – Pennsylvania restaurants will be allowed to seat more patrons inside after Gov. Tom Wolf announced he is relaxing restrictions on indoor dining. Restaurants may increase indoor occupancy from 25% to 50% of capacity starting Sept. 21. That’s more than two months after the administration first reimposed pandemic restrictions on the state’s beleaguered hospitality industry in response to a spike in virus infections. Wolf said at a news conference in Lancaster on Monday that the state has made sufficient progress to enable a partial lifting of restrictions on the hospitality industry. Wolf also announced Tuesday that starting Sept. 21 restaurants will not be allowed to sell alcohol past 10 p.m. Any restaurant that wishes to increase to 50% capacity on September 21st must complete the online self-certification process by October 5th. The self-certification documents and information about the Open & Certified Pennsylvania program can be found online starting September 21 and will contain the following:
- A list of requirements contained in the current restaurant industry guidance and enforcement efforts
- A statement that the owner has reviewed and agrees to follow these requirements
- The business’ maximum indoor occupancy number based on the fire code
- A statement that the owner understands that the certification is subject to penalties for unsworn falsification to authorities