How to Reopen Your Business During COVID-19

No one could have predicted what 2020 had in store for the restaurant industry, but together, we can bounce back better than before! Nella is here, open and ready to help you re-open. We are the premiere Canadian sales and service provider catering to the Canadian restaurant and food industry.

To help get you back on your feet, we have provided a MUST DO list for re-opening:

• Deep clean your kitchen and equipment thoroughly. We found these disinfectants helpful.
• Sterilize seating areas such as bars, tables, chairs, baby seats and menus. You may opt to install table dividers for added precautions.
• Disinfect high touch surfaces: counters, doors, point-of-sale machines, coffee machines etc.
• Sanitize all smallware items thoroughly before using them.
• Clean and sanitize your restrooms regularly. 

In order to sustain steady cleanliness and sterilization of your restaurant, implement a thorough cleaning schedule to maintain sanitation standards.

Assure Your Equipment is Working

Has your equipment been off during this unfortunate lockdown? Turn on all of your equipment to ensure they are still working. If you need assistance, call our service team at 416-740-2424 ext. 290. Equipment that has been off for an extended period of time may run into issues when restarted.

• Turn on gas, propane and electric lines to ensure they are operational.
• Turn on all cooking equipment to assure they are functioning properly.
• Restart all refrigeration and freezer equipment and allow time to observe temperatures.
• Ensure all expired foods are replaced to meet health & safety guidelines.

When in doubt, have a qualified technician check your appliances to guarantee safety and readiness for business.

If you require new equipment email us at help@nellaonline.com with your appliance model number for a quote. We have the largest stock of new and used equipment in the GTA!

Layout the Physical Space According to Social Distancing Guidelines 

According to City of Toronto Guidelines ‘A minimum of two meters/six feet between each edge of every table, with allowance for movement and seated patrons (where applicable) AND No more than 50% of the rated capacity available for use’ are Required.

• Post physical distancing markers to manage line-ups.
• Consider seating by reservation only.
• Remove seating in waiting areas to promote faster pickups and exits.
• Keep chairs away from high traffic areas.
• Remove buffet styles, self-serve and self-drink options.
• Consider single use menus, mobile menus, chalkboard menus.
• Offer hand-washing stations without leaving the dining area, have an illness reporting system that is visible to both staff and customers.

Having set guidelines and procedures will help staff and customers feel secure in your restaurant!

Re-hire & Train Staff

Many businesses had to lay off employees because of closures or limited work. Since they have been out of work for some time, re-training and educating staff on new safety practices is essential to a successful reopening.

• Ensure staff have access to gloves and masks as needed.
• Train staff on physical distancing, how to serve food, cleanliness protocol and avoid any unnecessary handling.
• Enforce frequent handwashing with soap and water, especially after coming in contact with customers and working on high touch surfaces.
• Scatter breaks to promote physical distancing between staff.
• Install markers and directional arrows to minimize direct contact with employees.
• Frequent disinfecting of high touch surfaces.
• Designate tasks to certain staff to minimize cross contact.

Time to Reopen!

Without a doubt, you must be eager to get customers flowing in. Make sure you keep your customers safe and provide them with a great experience!

• Use Social Media to let customers know you are reopening.
• Provide updates on your website to inform customers they can now dine in.

Let customers know you’ve accomplished all necessary procedures to assure their safety.

• Advertise that your business has been sanitized and share the procedures you are following.
• Promote dine-in discounts or deals to get customers in the door.
• Encourage contactless payments that can be sanitized between customers.
• Make your customers feel comfortable and provide a great dining experience.

Times are tough, and being adaptable is more important than ever. Stay organized and create a plan in order to be updated along the way. Once you get your restaurant up and running, things will begin to fall into place. Stay positive, stay safe and know that we are all in this together!

Experiencing some financial hardship and need assistance in trying to finance new equipment to help you reopen? Contact our leasing partner for a quick pre-qualification check to help you get back on track with competitive rates that are tailored for clients in the food industry.

References

https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/8e95-COVID-19-Guidance-for-Reopening-your-Restaurant.pdf