Ontario residents cautious about returning to restaurants: Ipsos poll

Ontario residents are being cautious in their approach to eating inside a restaurant, a poll by Ipsos suggests.

Thirteen per cent say they are ready to eat in a restaurant now or will be in the next two weeks. Sixteen per cent say they will be ready to do so next month. The majority – 40 per cent – feel safer waiting three months before venturing out to dine at their favourite eatery. A significant number of people (31 per cent) indicate they’ll wait six months or longer before resuming this activity.

Eating at a restaurant came in sixth as a likely activity behind shop at a community farmers’ market, go to a beauty salon or barber shop, travel by taxi or ride sharing, travel by public transit and shop at an indoor mall.

Between 70 and 75 per cent of Ontarians expect to be reluctant to attend a large gathering or sporting event for at least the next six months. Almost 70 per cent feel the same way about flying.

The poll concluded that the public is confident with the present pace of reopening, and that more people are concerned about going too fast than about going too slow. Although Ontarians remain reluctant to re-engage with economy and society, a combination of risk mitigation measures may increase the speed of re-engaging.

The poll, COVID-19 Recovery, was conducted May 29-31 by Ipsos for the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.