Toronto restaurant introduces rule to charge patrons double if they don’t wear a mask

We’ve all seen the viral videos of people in Toronto absolutely freaking out after being asked to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces, as has been mandated by the municipal and provincial governments for months now.

These situations make things not only extremely awkward for staff and other patrons of businesses, but also dangerous — which is why one Toronto restaurant decided to implement a special policy for anyone who enters without a mask.

Stores have the right to refuse service no masks no service

— MP (@Map1markusMark) September 9, 2020

“Notice for customers not wearing a face mask on the premises: we will charge double for your order without further notice,” reads a sign at Noodle Delight, an establishment that has been serving up Chinese eats at Victoria Park and the 401 in Scarborough for decades.

Staff say that it was a rule the team conceived of over the summer when bars and restaurants were allowed to have people dine indoors, which made it slightly harder to ensure everyone both eating in and waiting around for takeout orders was adhering to health and safety protocols.

“At that time we had people dining and people taking out. Some people were taking out and waiting, some were standing, and some of the customers came in without a mask or had an issue with wearing a mask,” a staff member told blogTO over the phone on Monday.

“It’s not fair for the people who are waiting inside the restaurant and dining in the restaurant… We have to protect our staff, it should be fair to everybody. Why should only our staff have to wear masks to serve you when you’re coming in to order without a mask?”

The employee added that since the sign was put up, Noodle Delight hasn’t had a single instance in which they’ve had to actually exercise the double charge.

“Everybody comes in and wears a mask now, everybody follows the rules,” they said, chuckling.

There’s little excuse for not knowing how to wear a mask at this point.

— If they are all Fredo, we are all Frodo (@FaganKara) August 10, 2020

It’s definitely a clever and quite a droll way to handle anti-maskers and inform anyone coming into the business — which, during lockdown, is now only open for takeout and delivery — that its staff are taking provincial orders seriously.

And, it helps that it’s evidently an extremely effective method.