Slowly and gradually, cities, states and countries across the world are recovering from the pandemic named COVID-19. We are now in the phase of 'Unlock 2', with our lives slowly resuming back to normal, but with caution. Although as per government regulations, strict lockdown is to be followed in containment zones, many businesses have been given a green light in other non-containment zones. Restaurants are one such establishment. However, it is strictly advisable to practice safe hygiene wherever you are, to protect yourselves and your peers from COVID-19 and other diseases. Here is a detailed list of practical ways by which restaurant owners and employees can practice safe hygiene, which is advisable to be strictly followed across various scenarios.

DINING WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING

Social distancing is essential everywhere nowadays and it applies to restaurants as well. So, it's a good idea to transform your restaurant and the overall dining experience to safeguard your customers and employees:

• Reduce the number of servable tables to half of what it used to be before the lockdown. You can do this by allowing diners to only sit at every other table. For example, if there are a total of 24 tables in your restaurant, it's advisable to serve 12.
• Make sure that these alternate tables are adequately spaced from each other to ensure social distancing.
• Place custom tent cards or stickers which would display 'Do not sit here' on tables which you do not intend to serve.
• You can even move the chairs away from these tables as well.
• Use custom tent cards to ask customers to maintain proper hygiene while dining. Asking them to wash their hands before having their meals, is a start.
• Ensure proper cleaning and sanitation of dining tables regularly.

DOs AND DON'Ts FOR EMPLOYEES

• Ensure that all employees who handle food and beverages sanitize their hands regularly.
• Chefs and cooks must use gloves, hairnets, and masks while cooking.
• Proper face masks should be worn by all employees at all times.
• To have proper communication between employees and with customers, make use of custom face tags for each employee.

ENTRY/EXIT GATES

Entry and exit points to the restaurant should be limited and patrolled ensuring that no one can get in the building without approval. The following practices can be followed:

• Hand sanitizers or a facility to wash hands should be provided at the point where a person enters the restaurant.
• All door handles should be wiped and sanitized frequently.
• Temperatures can be measured of everyone who enters the restaurant using contactless thermometers.
• Ensure that a kind act of service like opening doors for customers is done so that they wouldn't have to touch any surfaces.

HAND WASH AND TOILET AREAS

Washrooms are key areas where one needs to practice safe hygiene, and here are some tips which will help you to encourage your employees and customers to do so:

• A bottle of liquid hand wash is kept for every wash basin/wash station. They are replaced frequently just before they run out of the liquid (less than 5mm from base).
• Place one large-sized sanitizer bottle at the washroom door.
• Reminders on hand washing/sanitizing technique with the help of posters and labels have become a necessity.
• Do not turn on automatic hand dryers as airborne infectious particles can be transmitted to your hands when they are used. If possible, remove them from washrooms and place napkin dispensers instead.

OTHER PRACTICES

• Remind employees to practice social distancing. Signage like posters, standees and banners should be placed at common work areas.
• Use witty content and quotes on signages so that the intended message sticks in the minds of the readers
• Resort to virtual/online payment methods like through Google Pay, PhonePe, PayTM, and other UPI payment methods, so that contactless payments can be done easily.

Customers are going to visit restaurants cautiously from now on. Hence, it is strictly advised to keep yourselves and your surroundings healthy, clean and hygienic.