Restaurant owners have been hit hard by the Covid-19 epidemic losing customers, revenue and many times required forced periods of shutdown. The good news is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and there are ways you can still serve your customers and keep within the guidelines of state, federal, and local laws.
We’ll examine how a smart restaurant owner can survive and thrive during this crisis. We understand it’s a difficult time but following these tips can keep you afloat until life returns to normal. It can be months before that happens, so in the meantime take advantage of your strengths and weather the storm.
Keep Up to Date with Guidelines
As the disease continues to ravage customers and employees, federal, state, and local governments create new guidelines often. Some of the guidelines may be in response to a sudden dramatic positive or negative shift in Covid-19 numbers, giving you more freedom or taking it away.
Some local guidelines may require the use of facial coverings for both employees and customers while a state guideline says you can only provide outdoor dining. It’s important to be in compliance with all laws and to enforce them if customers choose not to follow the rules.
Shift to a Carry Out/ Delivery Business Model
Many restaurants can’t provide indoor seating or any at all depending on the current guidelines. If you want to continue to serve customers, then shift your business model to carry-out/ delivery.
If you’ve been a strictly sit-down restaurant, then you’ve been hit hard. You can hire a delivery driver or partner with a company like Uber Eats to get food to your customers. You must have signage posted stating you’re open for carryout and delivery and include the phone number for people to call.
Make sure this is clearly posted on your website and social media. Update your Yelp and other review pages with this information. If you continue to do ads and other promotions, then put the information there as well.
People need to know you’re still open and ready to serve.
Raise Your Cleaning Guidelines
Once you’re able to have indoor or outdoor dining, you need to up your cleaning game. Employees should wear masks, their hands should be washed as often as possible, tables need disinfecting after every use and social distancing followed. If you want to know the best ways to disinfect, then take a look.
Examine the cleaning guidelines for the Center for Disease Control and go beyond. This should also be posted inside your restaurant and in other areas. Why? People will still be wary when they come back, but knowing you’re doing everything possible for their safety provides trust and stability.
If a worker has any flu-like symptoms, they should not be allowed on the premises until the symptoms are gone.
You Can Survive This
Covid-19 has devastated many businesses including the restaurant industry. Restaurant owners can survive this if they follow these rules and steady the course. No matter how much you feel down, don’t give up.
If you want to learn more about what restaurants can do during the Covid-19 pandemic, please explore our site.
