Bethesda outdoor dining street closures leave sit-down restaurants without a seat

Several street closures set to begin in downtown Bethesda on Wednesday will provide outdoor dining tables in a space larger than current sidewalks and patios provide. But the use of that general admission seating is geared toward fast-casual restaurants, not the dine-in establishments that arguably have been hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

Diners will be able to take food they have purchased from any restaurant, and sit down at any free table between 11:00 AM and 10:00 PM beginning June 10 on the following blocks:

• Norfolk Avenue, between St. Elmo Avenue and Cordell Avenue
• Norfolk Avenue, between Cordell Avenue and Del Ray Avenue
• Woodmont Avenue, between Elm Street and Bethesda Avenue
• Veterans Park, corner of Norfolk and Woodmont Avenues
• Cordell Avenue, between the parking garage near Old Georgetown Road and Triangle Towers;

A key service being provided by Bethesda Urban Partnership in this effort is that BUP staff will disinfect each table after diners are finished.

However, the current plan is not what many restaurateurs had envisioned when the issue of street closures was first raised a few weeks ago. Originally, it was thought that closed street segments would be utilized for sit-down restaurants, as well. Servers would come out and take orders, and alcoholic beverages - a key profit factor for restaurants - could have been served. That has not materialized so far, even though it has in other jurisdictions.

Closing streets in itself complicates life for some restaurants in other ways. Restaurants on the closed blocks lose all automobile traffic visibility. But on a more practical level, it will now be extremely inconvenient to utilize curbside pickup at restaurants blocked off from auto traffic, which will hurt the bottom line further.