Although the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet gone away, people are eager to get their lives back and businesses have been slowly reopening. If you are looking to safely reopen your restaurant amid COVID-19, there are some things you should know to help you do so successfully. Here are the tips to follow.
Follow All Safety Regulations
In order to reopen during a pandemic, the utmost care must be taken. Pay close attention to any new rules, regulations, or laws that may have been introduced in your area. In some cases, you are allowed to reopen so long as you follow these new laws, such as requiring all servers to wear masks. There may also be social distancing guidelines that require you to close off every other table or make patrons wait outdoors before being seated. No matter what the new rules are, it’s just as important as ever to follow the food safety guidelines taught in ServSafe training, so be sure to brush up on this essential information.
Follow Safety Best Practices
Keeping everyone safe, both employees and customers, should always be your first priority when it comes to reopening your restaurant. Therefore, always have a ServSafe certified manager on duty and provide customers with recommended actions. For example, since one of the best ways to prevent sickness is handwashing, encourage this handwashing often. You need to both ensure the food you serve is safe and also that the space in which customers dine is safe. Your goal is to both avoid foodborne illness and the spread of COVID-19.
Have a Plan of Action
Always be prepared in case something goes wrong. Know what to do if an outbreak occurs at your restaurant. For example, will you need to provide tests? What if your employees become sick and you need to temporarily close down? Thinking about these worst-case scenarios ahead of time will help you navigate and overcome them if they should arise.
The challenges of reopening amid a pandemic can be tackled with the right planning. Remember to follow and stay up to date on all safety rules, continue to follow food safety protocols, and have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Doing these things will ensure you have as smooth an experience as possible.
