Originally Posted by
mnelson
It's definitely a covid thing, not a normal restriction, but it applies to eat-in as well as delivery. I believe the intent was to allow restaurants to reopen, while keeping bars closed during Phase Two. DC has no legal bar/restaurant distinction, though, so the way that requirement is implemented is that only parties who are ordering a "prepared food item" (i.e. something that isn't chips/pretzels/etc.) can be served. If they're ordering food, then they can also get drinks along with their food, but aren't supposed to treat it as a "bar" (drinks-only). The restaurant, to count as a restaurant, must also either have a kitchen, or partner with a kitchen, capable of offering a menu of at least three different prepared food items. There's a bit more info here:
https://abra.dc.gov/page/new-and-exp...oor-dining-faq
Yes, it's become a bit clearer since my original post, including some Washingtonian articles about the ways that restaurants are getting around this (e.g. mayo sandwiches).