Bouncing back: Restaurant debuts 'bumper tables' amid virus

[Judi Lynn]

Updated 10:04 am CDT, Tuesday, May 19, 2020

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — Diners in a Maryland beach town are bouncing back into eating out amid the coronavirus pandemic with a little help from inflatable inner tubes on wheels.

About a dozen of the so-called “bumper tables” were rolled out at Fish Tales, a restaurant in Ocean City, Maryland, on Saturday, news outlets reported. The inflated tube tables were created by Baltimore-based company Revolution Event Design & Production to allow people to practice social distancing while eating and talking in outdoor settings.

The devices feature a hole in the middle to accommodate people around 4 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) tall. Participants get a little spring in their step with wheels attached to the bottom for moving around — all while maintaining a 6-foot (2-meter) distance from each other.

“We wanted to come up with a creative and fun way to keep everyone safe and compliant, but still bring back the social and festive and party aspect of the event,” Erin Cermak, the CEO of Revolution Event Design & Production, told the Baltimore Sun.

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/article/Company-makes-bumper-tables-for-restaurants-15280082.php

[hlthe2b]

1. Bizarre, but I guess it works...

[tblue37]

2. How do you get into one? nt

[Initech]

3. What the serious fuck?

God I can't wait until this is over.

[greenjar_01]

4. We are a deeply foolish people

[MissB]

5. That's funny

It’s outside so perhaps less of an issue than inside but I’m pretty risk adverse right now so a big no.

That being said, kudos to the restaurant for keeping it light and trying to get some interaction going. Would be great for a family reunion.

[Retrograde]

6. How do you get into one

especially if you're disabled, elderly, or otherwise not as spry as you once were? And it looks like you have to stand the whole time, which - since they're only designed for people up to 6' according to the OP - is going to be awkward for people taller than that (and that's a not insignificant percentage of the population in some places).

Points for thinking outside the box, though.

[llmart]

7. In looking at those pictures...

I can't help but think what if the person next to you sneezes and a large breeze blows it towards your inner tube?

I think we're already seeing some "creative" ways to social distance and maybe get on the news, but I think I'd rather be safe than an early adopter.

[Shermann]

8. This system also mitigates the threat of drowning from a hurricane storm surge

So they get two for the price of one. Well played.

[stopbush]

9. Makes staying home an even better option.

[DrToast]

10. Genius idea. I'm sure people will go there just to try them out.