Well it’s better than eating with a mask on, isn’t it?
Last week, the City of Chicago published a guidebook that gives residents a picture of what dining at restaurants and bars will look like once the businesses begin to open back up. While it details certain guidelines regarding social distancing, hygiene, and contactless pay, what it doesn’t acknowledge is the potential of plastic-cone dining pods.
In a stroke of ingenuity, French designer, Cristophe Gernigon, unveiled his Plex’Eat device that would allow customers to dine in safety. The Plex’Eat is a clear, cone-shaped, plexiglass device suspended from the ceiling that encases diners in individual pods while dining in a restaurant.
The pods are composed of two plexiglass pieces that have an opening at the top — so you can still carry on a conversation with your dining partner, as well as convex opening in the back so entrance isn’t too much of a hassle.
The devices would work toward limiting the spread of the virus, and would thus allow for restaurants to utilize more space. Additionally, their design allows them to be disassembled and disinfected with ease.
“Though we would have preferred not to arrive at this point, it is now better to imagine alternative, designed, elegant and aesthetic solutions that will guarantee social distancing regulations,” said Gernigon.
Gernigon debuted his culinary invention at H.A.N.D. restaurant in Paris, owned by Mathieu Manzoni. Restaurants in Paris are to reopen tomorrow (June 2) for outdoor seating. While restrictions in France are beginning to relax, restaurant owners are still conscientious of upholding social distancing.
On the implementation of Plex’Eat glasses, Manzoni called them a “pretty, more poetic” solution to in-house dining.
The Plex’Eat devices aren’t limited to Europe. Preorders for Plex’Eat have already been made from Japan, Canada, and the US. Will we see a some pop up in Chicago?
See more: An Amsterdam Restaurant Made Little Greenhouses So Diners Can Enjoy A Meal While Social Distancing
[Featured image: @aurelienmorissard]