rant · moment 6 of 19
Lunch at the Parker in Palm Springs During COVID Theater
from #219 - The Gates Of Hell | The Tim Dillon Show · #219
4 min
Tim describes the absurd COVID-era reservation requirements at the Parker hotel and a nearby restaurant, mocking social distancing rules, phased reopening, and comparing it to post-9/11 security theater.
- Tim and Ben went to lunch at the Parker in Palm Springs, which reopened during COVID theater with extensive security protocols.
- Getting onto the Parker's property requires email confirmation of an OpenTable reservation, triggering an interrogation about vaccination and testing.
- Tim questions why restaurants are trying to get him to sit next to his dining companion instead of across the table, claiming the social distancing logic makes no sense.
- The inconsistency of partial reopenings: companies are open at minimum capacity to avoid paying employees, while formerly engaged workers are now confused, dazed, and unpracticed.
- Attempting to buy a MacBook at the Apple Store required an appointment, turning what should be an impulse buy into a scheduled event.
- COVID has eliminated impulse purchases by forcing people to go home and reconsider whether they actually need something.
- The destruction of the impulse buy means accepting lower quality, slower service, and more things to be angry about.