Evan Gonzalez, Detroit Stock City
Inside of Townhouse Detroit, a bar and restaurant located in Ally Detroit Center.
Well, apparently there’s data to confirm what we all have been thinking: Michiganders miss going out to eat more than residents of any other state.
That's according to geotagged Twitter data over the last three months. The data tracked tweets and keyword phrases about how people miss dining out amid the COVID-19 pandemic, either by their own choice or by local and state restrictions.
For example, "I miss dining out," "I miss eating out," "I miss going out to eat," "I miss going to dinner," etc., were tracked. More than 240,000 tweets were used to compile the data.
According to the map compiled by the food and cooking site thedaringkitchen.com, the upper midwest and western states seem to miss dining out the most, with Michigan being the top state.
The top 10 states that miss going out to eat are:
1. Michigan
2. North Dakota
3. New Hampshire
4. Oregon
5. California
6. New Mexico
7. Nevada
8. New York
9. Illinois
10. Washington
Indoor dining in the state of Michigan remains restricted until at least Dec. 19, which will be followed by a “cautious re-engagement” as part of the public health orders created to slow the spread of coronavirus, according to officials.
Restaurants have been trying to be creative with ways to continue to serve customers including contactless delivery and pick-up service. Some restaurants are shipping their signature items around the state and even out of state.
Additionally, more and more restaurants are installing igloo-like structures that allow for heated outdoor dining.
The struggles of the Michigan restaurant industry even escalated to court. However, a federal judge sided with the state in a lawsuit brought by several restaurant owners, including the owner of the Detroit area Townhouse restaurants, and the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association to end indoor dining closures.
Michigan food aficionados can only hope that the imminent deployment of effective coronavirus vaccines will allow the state’s restaurant industry to slowly get back to normal.
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