The hospitality industry is one of the worst-hit industries during the COVID-19 pandemic. If your restaurant or cafe was able to survive through the initial outbreak, you probably sustained your business on takeouts and home deliveries. Now that things are starting to reopen, are you considering reopening your restaurant for dining?

For the safety of your employees as well as customers, it’s crucial to adhere to the best practices when it comes to running a COVID-safe business. Here are some useful tips you can implement.

  1. Attend to Basic Property Maintenance
    Even if there wasn’t an on-going pandemic, property maintenance is crucial to keep day-to-day operating costs in check. You may have neglected property maintenance during the lockdown. But now that you’re reopening your restaurant, it’s time for commercial property maintenance.
  2. Improve Indoor Air Circulation
    Open up windows or install a filtration system to improve indoor air quality.
  3. Set Up Tables at a 6-Foot Distance
    If you’re finally reopening your restaurant for indoor dining, it’s imperative to maintain a 6-foot distance between tables. Moreover, if you run a coffee shop where people line up to collect their orders, then it’s a good idea to mark the carpet with properly spaced signage to help customers maintain social distance.
  4. Get Outdoor Seating Permit
    If you’re working with limited space, then it can be impossible to set up tables at a 6-foot distance. In that case, you should consider getting a permit for outdoor seating. With such a permit you can set up seating in parking lots, sidewalks, alleys, or any other open space around your restaurant.
  5. Install Sanitizer Dispenser
    A touchless sanitizer dispenser at the main entrance is a must.
  6. Pay Attention To Routine Cleaning & Sanitization
    Even in a normal world, cleanliness is an essential part of running a restaurant business. But now more than ever, you need to put robust cleaning and sanitization protocols in place. Make sure every counter, table, door handle, and other surfaces are properly sanitized several times in a day.
  7. Check Employees’ Temperature
    Check all your employees’ temperatures before their shift starts. You should make wearing masks at all times a strict rule.
  8. Make Masks Mandatory for Customers
    You may assume that everyone will be smart about wearing masks in public, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. To avoid arguments from rude Karens, put up a sign mandating the need to wear a CDC-approved face mask.
  9. Promote Your Safety Measures
    Many people are still hesitant to go to restaurants and cafes. You can gain customers’ trust by promoting your safety measures. Use creative posters to inform them that your establishment is following FDA-approved guidelines.

Final Words
Are there certain improvements that will make your restaurant function better during the pandemic? It would be best to consult commercial general contractors Washington DC to discuss your ideas. In addition to these tips, it is also advised to refer to the FDA’s reopening checklist to ensure you’re following all food safety practices.

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