{"id":15688,"date":"2020-05-04T13:21:02","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T18:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/?p=15688"},"modified":"2024-04-04T07:28:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T12:28:49","slug":"visible-sanitation-is-now-an-unspoken-marketing-requirement-for-restaurants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/food-entrepreneurship\/visible-sanitation-is-now-an-unspoken-marketing-requirement-for-restaurants\/","title":{"rendered":"Visible Sanitation is Now an Unspoken Marketing Requirement for Restaurants"},"content":{"rendered":"

At long last, restaurants and other businesses are slowly starting to re-open from the COVID-19 lockdown. However, it will be anything but business as usual when things do open back up.<\/p>\n

The bright side is that people are looking forward to eating out again<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But health and safety, previously taken for granted, are now top-of-mind for customers. It\u2019s safe to say that they will demand business facilities be held to higher standards of sanitation and cleanliness than could ever have been imagined.<\/p>\n

Now more than ever, it will be critical for restaurants to demonstrate through clear action that they are creating a safe environment for patrons. It\u2019s quite possible that frequent, visible cleaning will be necessary even for seldom-touched restaurant areas that are already clean.<\/p>\n

\"Waiter
\nSo how should restaurants adapt to this new normal? What would make a difference to customers? Here are just some of the ways you can incorporate visible sanitation in your establishment:<\/p>\n

Redesign Your Dining Space<\/h2>\n

Before restarting business, restaurant operators will need to comply with guidelines and regulations laid out by the CDC, FDA and their local governments on dining arrangements. In fact, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) recently released this handy guide for restaurants that are reopening<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It recommends that establishments design a process to ensure that patrons maintain separation in all waiting areas and while seated.<\/p>\n

Tables will need to be rearranged so that they meet the requirement of six feet of distance between patrons. Changing to a reservation-only system could be one way to better plan spacing requirements. Additionally, restaurants can limit the number of people in particular sections and put up dividers between tables.<\/p>\n

Open air outdoor seating may also be something to consider, especially if indoor areas are at risk. According to Krissi Hewitt, Director of Institutional Research and Strategic Initiatives at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, \u201cBuildings that have not been properly serviced to maintain appropriate circulation, filtration, humidity and temperatures can contribute to higher amounts of microorganisms moving through the system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Essentially, microbes spread more easily in closed environments where air is recirculated and there is improper filtration. This is one of the main reasons why offices, cruise ships and subways are such infection hotspots. Since FDA and NRA guidelines now recommend fewer tables indoors, it probably makes sense to expand outdoor seating where possible.<\/p>\n

What if your restaurant is in a strip mall without a beautiful outdoor seating area? Consider turning the sidewalk or part of the parking lot into a dining area. Designing creative dining experiences with few resources is part of what makes working in the culinary field so exciting. It\u2019s the \u201cart\u201d in the culinary arts. And with warmer weather approaching, customers may even prefer sitting outside and enjoying the sun.<\/p>\n

Keep Sanitation Products Within Eyesight<\/h2>\n

When a restaurant is operating at full gear during peak dining hours, it can be difficult to stay constantly vigilant. One of the ways to build trust and maintain your emphasis on visible sanitation is by keeping cleaning products available and within easy reach of customers.<\/p>\n

By providing disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves, and masks in easy-to-access locations, you can empower customers to take an extra step with respect to their sanitation needs at their table – without waiting for the staff to come around. Restaurants can also consider placing contactless hand sanitizing stations for guests as they enter and leave the building.<\/p>\n\"medical\n

It\u2019s important to educate and keep open communication with restaurant staff as these processes are implemented. Students who graduate from our culinary and pastry programs<\/a> are prepared with the know-how to create a safe and sanitary environment in any foodservice business.<\/p>\n

When customers see that you are prioritizing their safety by making cleaning products available to them, it\u2019s possible they\u2019ll be more likely to view your brand favorably and continue dining on-premise.<\/p>\n

Make Cleaning a Theatrical Experience<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s face it, these are unprecedented times we are all living through, and the pandemic is likely to change consumer behavior<\/a> in many ways that seem strange now.<\/p>\n

But changing how we dine doesn\u2019t have to be a troublesome experience. With the right amount of creativity on the part of restaurants, it can be as fun and enjoyable as it has ever been.<\/p>\n

Restaurants around the country are adopting new protocols. In Georgia, one of the states that opened on April 27, 2020, Dennis McKinley, owner of the Original Hot Dog Factory explained to<\/a> the Atlanta Journal Constitution<\/em> that \u201ca new term might be \u2018contactless server\u2019 as we are engaging in a new restaurant world (in Atlanta).\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are a few more ways you might creatively implement safety guidelines while visibly showing the changes to your diners:<\/p>\n