![The owners of Tree City Coffee & Pastry in Kent require employees to wear masks throughout the building. There's currently no mask requirement for guests due to the exchange of fresh air that happens between a vehicle and the window, but the owners say they would absolutely enforce such an order if handed down by the state. [Kabir Bhatia / WKSU]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/43c807b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x3024+0+0/resize/840x630!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fimages%2Fnews%2Fnpr%2F2020%2F11%2F935256986_331934637.jpg)
Some Ohio restaurants are now requiring guests wear masks at the drive-thru window, following Gov. Mike DeWine’s latest mask and social distancing orders announced during his statewide address last week.
Ohio Restaurant Association spokeswoman Homa Moheimani said the group has had a list of best practices in place for restaurants throughout the coronavirus pandemic. And while it’s up to each restaurant whether people should be masked at the window, wearing one is a good idea for both employees and customers, she said.
“We want to follow science and data saying that masks are helpful. Anytime that I've gone out for drive-thru or a pick-up, employees are wearing their masks," Moheimani said. "They're adhering to all the guidelines. You know, restaurants want to stay open; they want to stay in business. They do this because they love it. So they're doing everything that they can to go above and beyond to keep their employees and guests safe.”
The full Ohio Restaurant Association’s guidelines include suggestions for socially distanced seating, providing hand sanitizer for guests, and closing buffets and salad bars.
Copyright 2020 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.
