Voters want to pick where to dine, not have government decide which eateries meet COVID standards

Voters prefer to make their own choices about dining in restaurants without government-approved coronavirus protocols, rather than having the government step in and shutter those eateries, according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen.

If a restaurant re-opens without government approved social-distancing protocols, 38% of voters say the government should take away their business license and close the business, the poll found. However, 47% say the government should allow individuals to decide for themselves whether they are comfortable going to that restaurant.

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Just the News Daily Poll

With Scott Rasmussen

Rasmussen noted that most liberals support shutting down the business, most conservatives prefer letting the customers decide.

By a 48-to-38% margin, government employees say the businesses should be closed. By a nearly identical margin, private sector workers and retirees take the opposite view.

By a 45-to-39% margin, white voters favor individual choice. Other voters are evenly divided.

Just the News Daily Poll respondents were asked “Suppose a restaurant re-opens without government approved social distancing protocols. Should the government take away their business license and close the business? Or, should the government allow individuals to decide for themselves whether they are comfortable going to that restaurant?" They responded as below:

• 38%    Take away their business license and close the business
• 47%    Allow individuals to decide whether they are comfortable going
• 15%    Not Sure

The national survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted July 2-4, 2020 by Rasmussen, a polling veteran. Margin of sampling error: +/- 2.8% for full sample. 

To see the full demographic cross-tabulations for this polling question, click below:

To see the methodology and sample demographics for this polling question, click below: