Restaurants are looking to open soon.

With government restrictions beginning to ease, I’d like to share some ideas that can be put in place in restaurants and other food outlets to ensure maximum capacities (70-80%+) can be reached in a safe manner for both staff and customers.

In order to efficiently prevent the spread of a virus within the confines of your restaurant for all - customers, staff and delivery personnel, its necessary to understand how it can move from one human to another. Below details the ways in which the virus is able to spread:

-       When someone who has the virus touches a surface, some of the virus can be transferred – there is evidence that Covid-19 can survive on a surface for 72 hours

-       A contaminated surface can then be touched by others who transfer it to their face, i.e. mouth, nose or eyes – humans touch their faces 2-3 times a minute

-       By inhaling other humans’ breath who have the virus

It is advisable that all staff are briefed on the above, ensuring they understand the potential ways the virus can spread quickly. Restaurant management will need to have a well thought out plan that can be communicated to all staff to ensure they fully comprehend the consequences to:

-       Other human’s health and ability to feel safe at work

-       The business financially

-       Themselves, both financially and health-wise

In order to achieve this, all staff will need to follow a centralised plan devised by management. We have compiled some suggestions for each area of the business that can be implemented to ensure maximum safety, while maintaining a pleasant feel to the space. Social distancing, either through maintaining a 6 foot gap or the use of barriers, is an effective tool that we will elaborate on.

Restaurants

Front of House

We are currently looking into the use of moveable clear barriers that will separate people who are/could be sitting next to each other. These will consist of plastic sheets in strong frames on wheels, extending from the floor almost to the ceiling. It is important that these are moveable, not only to ensure flexibility of table arrangements within the restaurant, but for cleaning purposes. We want to make sure that these screens can be configured in different ways so that seating arrangements can be adjusted, and the restaurant space can be utilised to its full potential.

These clear screens will ensure each group at a table are ‘encapsulated’, but able to see and experience the busy/social aspect of the restaurant - essentially, tables are in their own ‘booth’. Only those who are from the same household, i.e. who do not need to be social distancing, can be permitted in the same booth. The barriers will be very strong and not allow any direct air flow, meaning the seating areas are individually protected, and the flow of customers between ‘booths’ and the entrance/exit or toilets are managed. We suggest the implementation of single use masks/face coverings when customers are outside the booths – when entering/leaving the building or attending the toilet.

We are also looking at not serving food in the traditional manner, but the waiting staff handing plates etc. to one point of contact who will pass the food to others at the table inside the booth. Alongside this method, we are proposing the idea of utilising small serving tables at each booth where drinks can be placed, and dirty plates/utensils can be collected from after the meal. Above this table, we are looking to place a UV light which kills viruses on surfaces quickly, ensuring minimal risk to waiting staff collecting used crockery.

If possible, we are also suggesting the use of copper table tops. Copper has properties which are effective in reducing the virus’s ability to survive on its surface. This is an efficient method of minimising the risk of spread through people touching infected surfaces and transferring it further or infecting themselves.

Some suggestions for efficient cleaning:

-       Waste bins by each table within the booth that have an easy to remove bag so any waste from the table can be cleaned away quickly and hygienically

-       Dirty plates/cutlery going back into the kitchen are scraped/cleared before being put under a UV light where the Pot Wash will pick them up from to wash properly

Some suggestions for cutlery and other table requirements:

-       Cutlery should be in individual closed holders with a sanitizing wipe

-       If your restaurant uses lining napkins, change for the duration to good paper napkins that can be disposed in a recycling bin

-       Condiments will only be provided on demand in small paper bowls or bags which will be discarded as each table is cleaned – advisable that these are in small amounts to minimise wastage

-       Ensure that every table is free from clutter so cleaning can be completed efficiently

Staff should control the flow of customers moving around the building to ensure social distancing is maintained. 

Toilets

We are looking at removing everything from toilets, including toilet paper which will be outside for people to bring some in with them. This will allow for spray/mist the whole toilet each time it is used, either by the person who used the toilet, or by staff at a set time.

To maximise efficiency, we are suggesting that all toilets are open to all and no longer gendered.

Kitchen

Delegate dishes to individual staff is possible – meaning only one chef completes the dish on the plate, minimising multiple staff and potential spread/contamination. Similarly, we suggest developing an efficient layout within the kitchen so that food can be plated by as few people as possible.

We suggest looking at staffing to see if some staff come from the same household and can therefore be put on the same shift.

The use of UV lights should also be extended into the kitchen, above the hot server so that finger touches from chefs will be reduced before being taken out to the customers.

Waiting Staff

Investigate whether the use of gloves, or regular handwashing and sanitizing, are more effective. Regular hand washing would be expected even with the use of gloves.

Bed and Breakfast 

As a way of keeping the breakfast room at full capacity, frames similar to those described in the restaurant section above could be made around each table, with a staggering of times each bedroom enters for breakfast.

It is imperative that all staff are trained properly, ensuring their full understanding of the system and why each action is in place. Any PPE that is needed for staff will need to be included in training, explaining the benefits and downsides of its use. This will provide them with the confidence to make informed decisions on going, as well as the assurance that they are safe and looked after in the workplace. 

With restaurants reopening, we want to ensure they are enjoyable and a safe place to go, we want to install confidence in our patrons and have sufficient customers to make a profit. 

Yours,

Peter M Bushnell Dip NEBOSH Grad IOSH