Keeping Your Restaurant Open During a Pandemic

Trying to figure out how to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic? You’re not alone. Many restaurant owners are being faced with difficult decisions on a daily basis to determine what is best for their employees and for their business. It isn’t easy, but don’t give up. There are ways to remain open and continue to give your employees a paycheck, keep them safe and give your community members their favorite meals they love to indulge in.

Cleanliness Needs To Be Top Priority
It goes without saying that cleanliness needs to be top of mind for the safety of your customers and your employees at your restaurant. But during a pandemic, even more precautions need to be taken to ensure your customers feel safe ordering from you. For starters, ensure you are using the right cleaners. Check your supply closet to see if your cleaners are on this list from the EPA that have been approved to disinfect against the coronavirus. Here are some other ways to ensure you are maintaining a high level of cleanliness in your restaurant.

• Make sure you are cleaning items that are getting used continuously throughout the day like door knobs, pens, trays, and debit card pin pads. It is also important that your customers can see the extra steps taken to ensure your restaurant is taking this seriously. Have your employees wipe down all items used at the checkout area after every use before the next customer uses them.
• Give your employees access to personal protective equipment. While supplies are in short demand, it is still important to provide your employees with as many preventative measures as possible. If you have a way to add a plexiglass shield between your customers and employees at the drive-thru window or at the cash register, do it. This can help too but isn’t nearly as effective as other PPE items.
• Also try to reduce the amount of contact between the customers and your employees. Can they call in their order and pay over the phone so their card doesn’t have to be passed back and forth? Can you reduce to just one window at the drive-thru? Can all orders be brought to the car instead of being picked up inside the restaurant? Thinking of ways to reduce contact will also ease your customers’ minds about getting takeout at your restaurant.
• Another measure to take into consideration is adding a HEPA, residential grade air purifier to your restaurant. While they are still testing the effectiveness of using air purifiers to combat the coronavirus in public areas, initial studies show they can help though they will not be 100% effective in preventing the spread of the virus. Do your research to see what type may be effective for your space.

Delivery Is A Must
How many calls does your restaurant get in a day asking if you deliver? If your answer is always no, you may be losing out on lost revenue. Now more than ever it is important that you provide this service for your customers. High risk individuals can’t make the drive to pick up the food. Single-parent families don’t want to pack up their kids and have no one to watch them while they go out. No one should have to miss out on their favorite meals because of this. We’ve outlined some great delivery options in this article. Take look to see which one would work best for your restaurant.

Give Catering A Try
Yes, we know catering is generally for larger crowds at an event, but that’s not always the case. There are still plenty of essential businesses, just like your restaurant, running on all cylinders and in need of meals while they are battling this pandemic along with the rest of us. Reach out to your local hospitals, firehouses, police stations, grocery stores, basically anywhere that is still open and let them know that you’re there for them. Provide special catering deals to feed their staff on a budget. Maybe even sponsor a local business each week with a surprise meal for all their employees. If you’re able to give back during this time, please do! Everyone is always appreciative of helping hands.

Reevaluate Your Sick Policy
If we’re going to combat this virus, we have to ensure everyone is doing their part. If your employees feel like they can’t miss work for fear of not being able to pay their bills, they will inevitably come in to work sick and spread it to your entire staff and possibly to customers as well. This isn’t a risk anyone should take. If your sick leave policy doesn’t include paid time off, please take this into consideration and add in paid leave. You should also do daily temperature checks of all employees to ensure they aren’t coming in sick knowingly or not.

Let’s give your restaurant a fighting chance. You owe it to yourself and your employees. Keep adapting and following the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your restaurant can make it through this difficult time. And if you need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to the multiple relief programs available. You’ve got this.