Safeway is following Giant Food’s decision to now limit the number of customers in its grocery stores at any given time.
Starting Friday, occupancy levels will be limited to one person per 150 square feet during normal business hours, and one person per 300 square feet during the special hours it has reserved for seniors and other vulnerable customers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Safeway will limit access to its stores with one front entrance and exit, and store employees will be assigned to the doors to manage customer traffic, the company said.
Giant has now limited the number of customers to 20% of store capacity.
Both Safeway and Giant have moved to one-way aisles to help aid social distancing.
Safeway will reduce store hours to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., except at stores that are open 24 hours a day.
The company said it is also in the process of getting reusable masks for all front-line employees in its stores and distribution centers.
Safeway is the D.C. region’s second-largest grocer, behind Giant, with more than 75 stores throughout the metro area.
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