A historic San Francisco restaurant became the first in the Bay Area to require proof of vaccination for both indoor and outdoor customers, and they are encouraging other restaurants to do the same.
John’s Grill has been around for a long time,113 years to be exact, but they haven’t been in a position quite like this before.
It’s been something the owners and staff have been deciding on for weeks and on Wednesday, they made the move.
“We have decided to implement a proof of vaccination to dine here at John's Grill,” said owner John Konstin Jr.
The big difference from other restaurants so far is that it’s asking for proof from customers who want to sit both inside or outside.
“We’ve weighed all the pros and cons to this decision and you know some people are gonna be happy and some people are not gonna be happy about it but at the end of the day as long as we are keeping people safe,” said Konstin.
Steve MacDonald, who has been a regular at John’s since the 80s, said the requirement isn’t a big ask for him.
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“I guess I do feel a little more confident knowing that it is a requirement,” he said.
But not all restaurants are ready to make such a bold move.
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Tad’s Steak – a downtown staple since the 50s - said while they can support John's move, they’re not in a position to do the same, at least without a mandate.
“We’re not a reservation-kind of restaurant, we’re fast casual,” said owner Phineas Ng. “Forcing somebody to say 'you can't come in without proof of vaccination' would probably hinder us a lot.”
So far, John's grill says they have gotten generally pleasant reactions from customers and walk ins.
From now until Monday, if you go and aren’t vaccinated or don’t have proof, they will offer the option to dine outside.
