Miami-Dade grocery stores told to cut crowds by 50 percent, take down salad bars

Grocery stores must implement crowd-control measures and slash capacity by half under a new emergency order by Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez that attempts to create more space between customers as they shop for food and supplies.

The order posted on Miami-Dade’s coronavirus website Thursday afternoon follows a crackdown on Miami Beach earlier in the week. That city’s mayor, Dan Gelber, said he was aghast at how close shoppers were getting.

“There’s such substantial community spread, we have to assume that these places have customers and workers who are infected,” he said. “To protect everybody, we have to be careful.”

The Beach order was announced Tuesday, and the countywide decree goes into effect at midnight Thursday.

With grocery stores under pressure already, some locations have imposed voluntary capacity restrictions. That’s meant lines outside stores, according to anecdotal reports. On Thursday, grocery stores in Miami, Coral Gables and Miami Shores not known for lines had people waiting their turns to enter.

The county order only applies to stores that “provide unpackaged food for consumption.” It requires those stores to monitor entrances and exits, and limit the maximum occupancy load by 50%.

Gimenez’s order also bans salad bars and self-serve food stations, but grab-and-go offerings can remain. Also banned: free tasting and samples.

This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 7:46 PM.