Best time to visit parks, restaurants, pharmacies while social distancing in Charlotte
Social distancing is difficult enough during COVID-19 in Charlotte, but what about essential distancing?
Most of us have been doing our best to do our part to prevent community spread of the coronavirus this year, but there still comes a time to lace up your shoes, grab your favorite face mask and take a deep breath before heading out into the world.
Maybe you need to buy groceries, you want to run in the park or you need to pick up a prescription. But when should you go? Is rush hour even a thing anymore? With more people working from home and home schooling, our schedules have changed drastically from pre-pandemic days.
Google has analyzed its Maps data during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify key trends in Charlotte. If you’re social distancing, you’ll want to check out the popular times, so you know when to avoid our area’s coffee shops, grocery stores, parks, pharmacies and restaurants. But don’t everyone go at once during the least busy times, either — that would defeat the point.
Coffee shops in Charlotte
Busiest times for coffee shops in Charlotte: Saturday at 10 a.m.
Least busy times for coffee shops in Charlotte: Monday at 7 a.m.
Grocery stores in Charlotte
Busiest times for grocery stores in Charlotte: Saturday at 1 p.m.
Least busy times for grocery stores in Charlotte: Sunday at 9 a.m.
Parks in Charlotte
Busiest times for parks in Charlotte: Saturday at 4 p.m.
Least busy times for parks in Charlotte: Wednesday at 7 a.m.
Pharmacies in Charlotte
Busiest times for pharmacies in Charlotte: Friday at 3 p.m.
Least busy times for pharmacies in Charlotte: Monday at 9 a.m.
Restaurants in Charlotte
Busiest times for restaurants in Charlotte: Friday at 7 p.m.
Least busy times for restaurants in Charlotte: Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Transportation changes in Charlotte before and during COVID-19
Driving is the most popular mode of transportation in Charlotte both before and during COVID-19.
Interest in cycling is up by 10 percent and transit is down by 46 percent compared to before the pandemic.
Activity trends in Charlotte before and during COVID-19
Google also analyzed our eating habits, from when we like to order food to the type of cuisine we prefer compared to before the coronavirus. Would you be surprised to hear buffets are no longer searched as frequently? Yes, us either.
Food ordering
At the beginning of the pandemic, the most popular time to order food was 7-8 p.m. —and now it’s 6-7 p.m. Does this mean we are going to bed earlier?
Saturday is the most popular day of the week to order food in Charlotte, with Tuesday being the least popular.
Reservations
We are making 114 percent more reservations than we were this time last year. With restaurants serving at a limited capacity, it seems logical that both diners and restaurants would prefer to plan ahead.
Here’s what we’re eating, Charlotte
At the start of the pandemic, “buffet” was one of the most popular food queries in Charlotte — now, we barely Google it at all.
Steakhouse interest is 63 percent higher, however. Local search terms indicate we might also be craving Chinese, Mexican and barbecue during quarantine.
More takeout, please
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the search term “takeout” has increased 123 percent.
Get outdoors, Charlotte
Searches for outdoor spots are up 107 percent since the pandemic began. We are searching for Grandfather Mountain and Crowders Mountain State Park most often.
Home improvement stores
Anyone who drove by a Lowe’s or Home Depot at the beginning of the pandemic will not be surprised to know that searches for home and garden stores are up. At one point during COVID-19, searches were 45 percent higher than pre-pandemic days. But do Lowe’s and Home Depot have cool dog-washing stations like Blackhawk Hardware’s?
In addition to these typical free and busy times, Google’s live information can tell you how crowded a place is right now. Google Maps also has a new COVID layer so you can check out trending cases in the city or town you’ll be visiting. You can also see a business’ safety precautions or use Live View to meet up with friends or family outdoors, using augmented reality to see your people.
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Google Maps has other new tips to help when you’re planning errands or travel:
Find the latest information about COVID-19: Before you travel, check out the new COVID layer on Google Maps to see the trending cases in the city or town you’ll be visiting. Use the COVID layer on Maps to quickly see how cases are trending in the area. Access to local resources will offer guidelines and restrictions for the area you’ll be visiting.
Find out a businesses’ safety precautions: Find out if the restaurant or store you’re visiting is sanitizing between customers, if there are safety dividers at checkout and if staff gets temperature checks.
If you’re connecting with family and friends outdoors, you can use Live View to meet up. You can use augmented reality to see where and how far away your people are – with overlaid arrows and directions. They just need to share their location with you for it to work. You can also share your ETA.
This story was originally published November 17, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
