Is There Outdoor Dining? New App Answers COVID-Related Questions For Diners
BOSTON (CBS) -- Does this restaurant have outdoor seating? How often is the table sanitized? Did other customers feel safe? A new app called CareFull hopes to answer some of the many questions people have as they search for COVID-safe dining.
The free mobile app launched on November 30. It was created by Garrett Weinstein, who graduated from Tufts University in 2018.
Weinstein saw a need to put as much important information as possible in one place, including checklists, comments, and photos from both customers and restaurants. It also includes safety ratings.
"CareFull is allowing these restaurants to promote themselves and say 'hey, look this is exactly what I'm doing to ensure you as the guest are going to have a completely safe experience,'" said Weinstein.
Chef Josh Lewin owns Peregrine and Juliet. He offered Weinstein advice from the perspective of a restaurant owner as the app was being created. Lewin notes, "In 2020 everything is confusing every day, everything is changing all the time and safety is paramount."
Through the app, users can find out what safety precautions a restaurant is taking- like social distancing, mask-wearing, or sanitization practices.
Weinstein explained some of the questions the app addresses include "are the tables spaced six feet apart? Is mask enforcement actually enforced?" He added, "and then I can actually see other users' comments. Maybe someone said 'I had a great experience here and they took safety as seriously as possible.'"
"We want the guest to feel safe. We want the staff to feel to safe. But we also want them to be informed about policies and rules in place in the restaurant so that nobody needs to make any guesses in this difficult time that we're all adapting to," said Lewin.
The app currently covers over 250 restaurants in Greater Boston, with plans to expand to New York City and other cities in the future. For more information visit: https://www.carefullapp.com/.
