With ski season approaching soon, Aspen-Snowmass’s 15 mountain restaurants had to start preparing for both skiers and snowboarders who will flood the mountains this winter. While each restaurant may handle COVID-19 a little differently, SkiCo has a few guidelines that all restaurants will follow. 

Restaurants on the mountains will have to provide proper signage and plexiglass that separates the customers and the employees in the lines. Occupants of the restaurants will have to remain six feet away from others and frequently touched areas will be cleaned frequently. Hand sanitizer will be provided and people will be required to wear masks, not buffs. On each table, there will also be signs indicating whether a table has been cleaned or not. Ski Co has also implemented touchless faucets in all bathrooms.

Brigitte Berrfelder, the owner of Bonnie’s restaurant on Aspen Mountain, explained that Bonnie’s employees will have routine temperature checks and be required to fill out a form stating that they have not experienced any COVID-19 symptoms. If they have, that employee will not be allowed to come into work. She also explained that there will only be 25 customers at one time allowed in the restaurant, with a person monitoring this from the front door. Bonnie’s will also have a grab and go feature, offering hot and cold drinks, snacks, or a slice of Bonnie’s Pizza. They will also offer burgers or hot dogs from a grill on warmer days. 

Bonnie’s restaurant is also implementing a new piece of technology that will make sitting outside more comfortable for their customers. 

“The most exciting thing that we are doing is we are putting six igloo domes on the deck.  Each dome will have one table that can accommodate up to eight people, and they will be available by reservation only.  We will charge $50 to reserve them for 1 1/2 hours, with 15 minutes in between each reservation to clean and sanitize.  There are three seatings a day: 9:30-11:00, 11:15-12:45, and 1:00-2:30.” Berrfelder said. 

Berrfelder also said that she felt the summer really helped Ski Co prepare for this upcoming winter and make dining on the mountains a lot safer for the customers. 

“I feel Ski Co is doing everything they can so not to spread the virus and provide a safe environment.” Berrfelder said.