Massachusetts Restaurant Association petitions Mayor’s office to end indoor vaccine mandate

The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) urged Mayor Michelle Wu in a letter Jan. 27 to reevaluate the vaccine mandate for indoor dining because of the negative financial effects on Boston-area restaurants.

The indoor dining vaccination policy is part of the B Together initiative — which requires individuals to show proof of vaccination to enter indoor spaces like restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and museums — that was implemented by Wu on Jan. 15 to address rising COVID-19 cases and promote vaccinations. 

As part of the initiative, employees working at those establishments are also required to be vaccinated. 

The MRA wrote that they have been “fielding calls every day” about the negative effects of customer interactions due to the mandate, including wedding cancellations, physical violence against staff, reservation cancellation rates reaching 50% and small restaurants losing up to $15,000 in weekly revenue.

According to the letter, restaurant owners and their employees have suffered “demonstrable harm without proof that it decreases transmission in restaurants” because of the mandate.

“If a customer chooses to not dine out because of the actions of the restaurant that’s one thing, however a customer choosing not to dine out because of the actions of government, that is an entirely different issue, and the restaurant should be compensated for those losses,” the MRA wrote.

The letter also noted that “employees are being disproportionately impacted” by the mandate as the loss of business amounts to reduced hours and wages. 

TJ Flaherty, communications manager for the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion, wrote in an email that it was the larger businesses in the city that were experiencing losses, not smaller businesses.

Flaherty wrote that Mayor Wu’s office conducted a small business tour prior to the enactment of the policy to gain insight on how businesses would react. 

“In response to what we heard on these tours, Mayor Wu made a request to replenish the Small Business Relief Fund 2.0 with $5 million,” Flaherty wrote. The request was approved on Jan. 19.

Ahmed Abdalla, the general manager of Jonquils Café & Bakery on Newbury St, said customers have gradually warmed up to the concept of having to show their vaccine cards to eat inside.

“In the beginning, not everyone took this idea so easily,” Abdalla said.  “But now, in the biggest majority of cases, it would be really unusual if someone started to argue or something. In general, pretty much everyone is cooperating, and they actually show [their vaccine card] with ease.”

Helena Benatar, a student at Tufts University, said that the vaccine mandate doesn’t affect her decision to eat out. 

“I don’t really mind whether or not they ask for proof of vaccination,” she said. 

Flaherty wrote that customers might be feeling more confident going to restaurants at this point in the pandemic because of the mandate.

“Based on conversations that we have had with business owners, the argument can be made that the vaccine mandate actually drives up consumer confidence,” Flaherty wrote. 

Abdalla added the cafe hasn’t lost significantly more business than usual, besides the usual slump in the winter months.

“It is important to note that the restaurant industry always sees a dip in revenue during the winter months, regardless of the vaccine mandate,” Flaherty wrote. “So it is our job to ensure that we have the resources available to support these businesses during the winter months.”

Nonetheless, Abdalla added that Jonquils Café & Bakery plans to continue to follow state and city regulations on COVID-19 precautions.

“We’re all cooperating with the state of Massachusetts’ guidelines, we’re following their rules. Whatever they say, we’re doing it,” Abdalla said.

Taylor Brokesh contributed to the writing of this article.