The pushback on masks has been loud and clear with many customers refusing to wear masks in retailers, such as Costco, Walmart and other large companies. It puts most businesses in a tough spot as they have to decide whether or not to mandate facial coverings in their stores.
According to NPR, it’s happening on the local level as well. Brenda Leek, the owner of Curbside Eatery in La Mesa, told NPR that she experienced serious pushback from her customers about wearing a mask while dining. She even had a customer fight her on wearing the mask in her restaurant.
“So then she’s like, ‘This is ridiculous! You’re discriminating against me!’ Told me I would be hearing from her attorney. And I said, ‘That’s fine,’ ” Leek told NPR.
Occurances are only rising
These incidents are only growing more common as more companies adopted mask requirements for shopping, dining and even browsing through most stores. It puts most employees in a difficult position as they have to enforce these policies and deal with the hostility behind the customers’ reactions.
It also puts entrepreneurs and business owners in a tough spot as they have to balance enforcing state and federal guidelines surrouding Covid-19 while still bringing customers into their businesses. They do not want to experience more financial hardship after a significant lockdown.
What can owners do to allivate tenison between business and consumers? First, make sure you’re priortizing your employees’ health. They are the ones who are dealing with the pandemic on the front lines and deserve priority. Second, make sure you are following current guidelines and regulations from the California goverment.
Finally, find a method that works with your customer base. If you need to heavily recommend masks, you can do that. Or if you decide to require masks, make despoible masks available. It makes it easier for anyone to access.