Posted on Jul 26, 2021

Eating In The Olympic Dining Hall Looks Very Different For Athletes This Year

*Spoiler alert* — it involves a lot of hand sanitizer.

by Alex Gurley

BuzzFeed Contributor

The Olympic rings sit outside the stadium in Tokyo in the middle of a fireworks display

A empty dining hall features rows of empty tables in a cafeteria setting

A view of the food stations with a banner that says Asia

A bottle of hand sanitizer in front of a man in a shirt that says Tokyo 2020

Team Australia water polo player Tilly Kearns gave a behind-the-scenes look at the dining hall when she recently documented meal time from start to finish on TikTok:

@tillykearns
Olympic dining hall COVID protocols #olympicspirit #tokyoolympics #olympics #australia what else do you want to see??
♬ Say So (Instrumental Version) [Originally Performed by Doja Cat] - Elliot Van Coup

A foot presses down on a button to dispense hand sanitizer into an open hand

A few bags filled with disposable gloves

Two Team Australia members stand while waiting for their food

An athlete wipes her table clean while wearing a glove

A tray filled with food including a salad, watermelon and broccoli

And while it may seem like a lot of work just to get fed, there's apparently a TON of options:

@saltynuts_
Olympic Dining hall tour #tokyoolympics #olympics #ireland #tokyo #olympicgames #foodtok
♬ original sound - Harry Mcnulty

Apparently there's way more variety than there was in Rio, according to Team Australia tennis player Luke Saville:

@daria_gavtennis
Which cuisine would you go for? #olympics #teamaustralia #olympicspirit #tokyoolympics
♬ Drive Forever - Tendency Challenge

And if you ask Team USA rugby player Ilona Maher, the food is amazing:

@ilonamaher
Yes, I’m an Olympian but I still like cheese #beastbeautybrains #olympics #tokyoolympics #tokyo2020 #ClearGenius #dininghall #teamusa #olympicvillage
♬ original sound - Ilona Maher

And the gyozas? The "best in the world":

@ilonamaher
I eat them for every meal #beastbeautybrains #olympics #tokyoolympics #dininghall #tokyo2020 #gyoza #dumpling
♬ original sound - Ilona Maher

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Eating In The Olympic Dining Hall Looks Very Different For Athletes This Year

Things are looking a little different at the Olympics this year — especially when it comes time to sit down for a meal.

The Olympic dining hall has a very different atmosphere than usual, and it's all to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The International Olympic Committee and the host city of Tokyo have implemented intense safety protocols to help keep the best athletes in the world healthy when they stop by for a bite to eat.

Some of these elite athletes are even giving us an inside look at the experience, which spoiler alert involves a lot of hand sanitizer.

Team Australia water polo player Tilly Kearns gave a behind-the-scenes look at the dining hall when she recently documented meal time from start to finish on TikTok:

First, masked-up athletes sanitize their hands:

Next, athletes put on a pair of disposable gloves before touching anything inside the dining hall:

Then, they can grab a sanitized tray and pick out what they'd like to eat:

Athletes are then seated at tables separated by clear plexiglass dividers and given sanitizing wipes to further clean their dining area:

Finally, they are permitted to remove their masks and dig in:

And on the way out? A new mask and more hand sanitizer!

And while it may seem like a lot of work just to get fed, there's apparently a TON of options:

Apparently there's way more variety than there was in Rio, according to Team Australia tennis player Luke Saville:

And if you ask Team USA rugby player Ilona Maher, the food is amazing:

And the gyozas? The "best in the world":

Bon appétit, Olympians!

Eating In The Olympic Dining Hall Looks Very Different For Athletes This Year

Things are looking a little different at the Olympics this year — especially when it comes time to sit down for a meal.

The Olympic dining hall has a very different atmosphere than usual, and it's all to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The International Olympic Committee and the host city of Tokyo have implemented intense safety protocols to help keep the best athletes in the world healthy when they stop by for a bite to eat.

Some of these elite athletes are even giving us an inside look at the experience, which *spoiler alert* involves a lot of hand sanitizer.

Team Australia water polo player Tilly Kearns gave a behind-the-scenes look at the dining hall when she recently documented meal time from start to finish on TikTok:

First, masked-up athletes sanitize their hands:

Next, athletes put on a pair of disposable gloves before touching anything inside the dining hall:

Then, they can grab a sanitized tray and pick out what they'd like to eat:

Athletes are then seated at tables separated by clear plexiglass dividers and given sanitizing wipes to further clean their dining area:

Finally, they are permitted to remove their masks and dig in:

And on the way out? A new mask and more hand sanitizer!

And while it may seem like a lot of work just to get fed, there's apparently a TON of options:

Apparently there's way more variety than there was in Rio, according to Team Australia tennis player Luke Saville:

And if you ask Team USA rugby player Ilona Maher, the food is amazing:

And the gyozas? The "best in the world":

Bon appétit, Olympians!

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Some of these elite athletes are even giving us an inside look at the experience, which spoiler alert involves a lot of hand sanitizer.