SOP: COVID-19 PLAYBOOK FOR RESTAURANTS
Prepared by HeathNeed Medical Urgent Care Located in Queens Crossing
The essential thing in the short term for restaurant operators is to instill consumer confidence in both their guests and employees. Guests will not only expect to “be safe,” they will want to “see safe.” Here are some key things to consider and checklists curated by industry experts.
Short-Term Considerations
- Simpler menus — depending on the availability of workers, the supply chain, and people’s willingness to come out, restaurants may consider simplifying their menu. This will help manage costs and improve the bottom line.
- Remove physical menus that people typically touch. Provide disposable menus and encourage pre-ordering.
- Provide pre-ordering/pick-up solutions.
- Enforce store policies such as “Everyone who enters is subject to a thermal temperature scan.” and “No one with symptoms of Covid-19 is permitted.”
- Focus more attention on individually packaged or portioned meals, as opposed to family-style dinners, as diners may not want to risk infecting themselves or others when out to eat.
- Front of house will not be earning the same level of tips as they used to before Covid-19, so by just eliminating tips and paying an hourly wage, then the employee’s wage levels would be more stable and not dependent on how busy the restaurant is.
- There will be a demand for transparency and fairness from both customers and employees.
Pre-operational Tasks To Consider:
- Provide designated standing areas
- In the waiting/pick-up area, move the chairs further apart.
- Move tables further apart from each other or allow patrons to sit at every other table.
- Provide plastic partitions between each seat.
Health Protocols For Serving Your Customers:
- Wellness checks upon arrival. If you are taking temperatures of customers/employees, designate a person and location to take temperatures, a threshold and protocol for working or not working. Equip the person taking temperatures with proper PPE [personal protective equipment].
- Consider texting guests when tables are ready to avoid large gatherings in the lobby area and plan the seating chart well in advance, possibly phasing in the number of guests allowed to sit at least six feet apart.
- Encourage digital ordering if applicable
- Provide guests with disposable menus
- Create a sign saying that tables have been sanitized before and after people sit down.
- Parties maintain at least 6’ distance other parties at all times, including while waiting to be seated in the restaurant.
- Make a hand sanitizing station available upon entry to the restaurant.
- No tables of more than ‘x’ people.
- Do not leave condiments, silverware, flatware, glassware, or other traditional table top items on an unoccupied table
- Provide condiments only upon request, and in single use (non-reusable) portions.
- Use disposable menus (new for each patron)
- If a buffet is offered, restaurant employees serve the food to customers.
- Contactless payment is encouraged.
Health Protocols For Your Employees:
- Train all employees on appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, and respiratory etiquette.
- Screen employees before coming into the restaurant.
- Do not allow an employee with known close contact to a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 to return to work until the end of the 14 day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure (with an exception granted for healthcare workers and critical infrastructure workers).
- Have employees wash or sanitize their hands upon entering the restaurant, and between interactions with customers.
- Have employees maintain at least 6 feet separation from other individuals. If such distancing is not feasible, measures such as face covering, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, cleanliness, and sanitation should be rigorously practiced
- Have all employees wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth).
Send home any employee who has any signs of possible COVID-19
Do not allow employees with the new or worsening signs or symptoms listed above to return to work until:
- In the case of an employee who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to work when all three of the following criteria are met: at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications); and the individual has improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; or
- In the case of an employee who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and does not get evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, the individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to work until the individual has completed the same three-step criteria listed above; or
- If the employee has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to work before completing the above self-isolation period, the individual must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis.
Health Protocols For Your Facilities:
- Consider having an employee manage and control access to the restaurant, including opening doors to prevent patrons from touching door handles.
- Regularly and frequently clean and disinfect any regularly touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, tables, and chairs. Document the date, time, and employee each time.
- Regularly and frequently clean restrooms, and document the cleanings.
- Disinfect any items that come into contact with customers.
- Make hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, soap and water, or similar disinfectant readily available to employees and customers.
- Place readily visible signage at the restaurant to remind everyone of best hygiene practices.
- Clean and disinfect the area used for dining (table, etc.) after each group of customers depart, including the disinfecting of tables, chairs, stalls, and countertops.
- Clean and sanitize restaurants daily.
Free Printout for Restaurants
For Employers
Keep your employees and community safe. The COVID-19 Antibody Test can help you make informed decisions regarding your staff’s return to work or secure interaction with others. If you are interested in testing your employees, we’re here for you. We now offer free COVID-19 antibody testing with most insurances.
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About Us
Here at HealthNeed Medical Urgent Care, our main goal is to provide an easy and friendly walk-in experience that will have you face to face with one of our many medical specialists within minutes of checking in and without an appointment. Our team of medical experts offers treatments anywhere from bandaging small scrapes and cuts to IVs. Come check out our offices that are open 365 days a year. We provide pediatric as well as senior medical care, with most health insurances accepted.
Queens Crossing
38–21 Main St, Suite 1A
Flushing, NY 11354
Wheelchair Accessible Entrance:
136–17 39th Ave, Suite 1A
Flushing, NY 11354
Phone: (718) 888–1808
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