COVID-19 has hit many businesses hard. The hardest hit of all would probably be restaurants. Especially those that don’t offer drive-thru. Why? With more people working at home, there is less of a need to go out to eat for lunch. People are too frightened to visit busy establishments. In many cases, government restrictions won’t allow restaurants to admit the public. If you’re looking for a way to keep your restaurant running in a safe manner, then here are three crucial tips.
Create Curbside Pickup Options
The best way to keep your customers and employees safe is by keeping customers out of the restaurant and instead have them wait in their cars for pickup. Have a sign posted outside with a number that customers can call or text to notify you that they have arrived. When your employees exit the building with the food, have the customers remain in their cars while the food is placed on the car hood. Once your employees have left, the customer can then safely retrieve their order. If you have to let customers in, you should take additional measures to make sure they stay six feet apart.
Have Employees Wear Protective Gear
Viruses are often spread through hands touching infected surfaces, or by inhaling drops of vapor left in the air by an infected individual. It’s very important that you provide your employees with the proper gear to protect themselves. At a bare minimum, your employees should be wearing masks. This will help prevent them from inhaling the virus. There are mixed reviews on whether gloves are helpful. If gloves are preventing your employees from frequently washing their hands, then they probably won’t be helpful. If they do continue to frequently wash their hands and change their gloves, gloves probably will be helpful.
Clean Regularly
As a restaurant, you should already be regularly cleaning. You are probably accustomed to wiping down tables after each customer has used it. With rising concerns about COVID-19, a simple wipe down is not going to be enough. You should be regularly cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces that are touched by human hands. Your food delivery team will have more contact with customers which will put them at greater risk of contracting the virus. To prevent cross-contamination, you may wish to have your employees separated between food prep and food delivery.
Your customers still love the taste of your food, but they want to know that they will be safe when they visit. As you adapt to this sudden change in circumstances, share your commitment to safety with your customers. Thank your customers for their continued support and explain that any delays are due to your commitment to their safety.
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