Indoor dining, movie theaters set to return under restrictions Friday

New Jersey will see the return of indoor dining and movie theaters on Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday.

Restaurants will be allowed admit customers up to 25% of their capacity, though tables will have to be spaced to allow for social distancing.

Employees will be required to wear masks at all times, and customers will have to do the same whenever they aren’t at their table — the only place where eating and drinking is allowed under the order.

Further, restaurant windows must be open and air conditioning systems must be set to circulate outside air.

“We’ve been working hard for several months to get to this point,” Murphy said. “Our job now is to ensure that this reopening only leads to future announcements expanding the indoor capacity limits, and that we do not have to take a step backward.”

Movie theaters will face similar restrictions. They’ll see capacity limited to the lower of 25% or 150 for each screen. Masks are required, and different parties must socially distance from one another.

The order will also increase capacity limits for indoor religious services, weddings, funerals, memorials and political activities to 150 persons or 25%, whichever is lower. The previous maximum was 100 people.

Some Republicans were less than pleased to see that capacity was capped at 25% and not 50%, as they had hoped.

“New Jersey is months behind surrounding states in reopening which has needlessly devastated this critical industry, destroyed thousands of businesses and tens of thousands of jobs, yet analysis of numerous health metrics, including the rate of transmission, cases and deaths shows there was zero discernable health benefit. This delay was tragic,” State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) said.