We’re ready to install Food and Curbside Priority Pick Up signs to support our community’s restaurants and small businesses. Photo Credit: SDOT Flickr. On Sunday, Governor Inslee announced statewide restrictions to slow recent surge in COVID-19, including the closure of indoor dining service and reduction of in-store retail occupancy from 30% to 25%.
These measures are necessary to keep our community healthy and safe, and we’re working together to support businesses, restaurants, and communities affected. Free temporary Food and Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zones are one way we are being nimble and resourceful during the pandemic.
Read our first blog about Food Pick Up Priority Zones.
Zona reservada para recoger alimentos
With the holidays upon us, Seattleites can support local businesses by buying their holiday meals, treats, and gifts from them. We’re poised and ready to install additional Food Priority Pick-Up and Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zones to support this demand, and to make sure the process is easy and helpful. These temporary zones help restaurants and other businesses efficiently manage pick-up and curbside delivery and reduce impacts to the traveling public.
The City of Seattle is working across departments to support our community during this tough time. Since March, SDOT has installed over 1,000 3-minute temporary Food Priority Pick-Up Zones at over 600 restaurants.
(Right) Retail zones are also marked with easels, which have a 15-minute loading zone sign and attached Curbside Priority Pick-Up sign.
This is one of the many ways that the City of Seattle across departments has worked quickly to support the community and local businesses since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This support includes other SDOT programs such as free Stay Healthy Block Permits so families and neighbors can plan physically distanced activities by their homes; and temporary sidewalk and curbside café permits. Residents and businesses can find a list of existing COVID-19 relief resources here.
Are you interested in having a Food or Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zone near your business?
Haymaker, a restaurant in the West Seattle Junction, with a Food Pick-Up Priority Sign, & some early holiday decorations! 
Cortona Café in the Central District with Food Pick-Up Priority Signs. Credit: Jeanne Clark
Call 206-684-7623 or email 684-ROAD@seattle.gov to request a Food or Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zone. Provide your business name, address and contact information. Food and Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zone signs are not assigned to specific businesses and can be used among several businesses along the block.
Then:
- Staff will review requested locations to make sure a new zone will fit within the nearby curb regulations. Generally, we’ll install one new zone per block, so it may need to be located where it can serve several stores on the block.
- Approved signs should be installed within a few days of a request. If a new zone cannot be installed, SDOT staff will follow up with businesses to consider alternatives.
- Once the sign(s) are installed, consider bringing them in at the end of the evening and putting them out the next morning.
Learn more:
- Check out the website for more details.
- Learn more about the other ways we are supporting you and your community to stay healthy, safe, and physically distanced while still enjoying outdoor space.
- For more information or to request a pick-up zone, contact us at 206-684-7623 or 684-ROAD@seattle.gov