A restaurant reopening guide for the Covid-19 era

Reopening your restaurant after COVID-19

As Covid-19 restrictions restrictions slowly ease state by state, many restaurant operators are trying to determine what they need to do to safely reopen their establishments.

From complying with new state recommendations to ensuring your commercial equipment is ready to use again, there are many necessary considerations and steps your restaurant should take before reopening your dining areas. We’re committed to helping you comply with Covid-19 regulations, so you can safely operate your business again.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been researching and challenging ourselves and our suppliers to secure many items that will be critical for your restaurants in the coming months, such as face masks, thermometers approved for human use, and social distancing signs. Our industry experts at Tundra have also come up with a comprehensive checklist for a successful restaurant reopening. Download the checklist here to ensure your team has what they need.

Here are some additional tips to help you reopen your restaurant safely, and adhere to new state guidelines:

Consider enhancing your food safety guidelines and protocols.

Food safety is more relevant now than ever before. The good news is, restaurants have some of the cleanest environments, because they’re already adhering to city and state food safety guidelines. Before you reopen your doors, consider replacing common food safety supplies like thermometers, sanitizing buckets, and general janitorial items. Make sure you do a deep clean of your entire establishment prior to opening. When you do open your doors, ensure you’re consistently sanitizing commonly used surfaces and deep cleaning often. Continue with your existing food safety standards, and if you need some assistance in food safety tips and guidelines, click here.

Invest in personal protective equipment (PPE) and other relevant products to keep your staff and customer safe.

Inverst in PPE and safety supplies for your restaurant

Face masks and other protective gear went from being something you only saw in hospitals and construction zones, to the world’s top trending items overnight. And for good reason – we have an obligation to keep ourselves and others around us safe as we slowly reopen with new Covid-19 safety standards. From face masks, latex gloves, and sanitizing products to thermometers for human use, protective barriers and social distancing signs, we’ve got you covered. We have access to many products to help you ramp up your operations during this different time. Visit etundra.com, chat with us online, or give us a call to order PPE supplies.

Invest in clear, highly visible social distancing and hand washing signage.

When restaurants slowly reopen, as well as many other businesses, it is likely that social distancing and hand washing will continue to be on trend. We all want to do our part to keep others safe. There are many options for social distancing floor signs, mats, stickers, and posters to ensure that the procedures you put in place for your customers and staff are followed. Many restaurants are adding portable hand washing stations within their front of house for customers, as well as multiple hand sanitizing stations throughout the restaurant. These methods show your commitment to the safety of your customers and staff in the Covid-19 world.

Consider protective barriers for your counter and table service.

Now more than ever, it’s important that staff and customers are protected from airborne contaminants. Many popular, innovative manufacturers like Nemco and American Metalcraft have come out with protective barrier solutions specifically for the food service industry. These include heavy duty acrylic countertop guards, hinged guards, and even clear partitions that are easy to install from the ceiling. These guards are easy to clean, aid in the prevention of Covid-19, and investing in them offers another example of your commitment to your customers.

Adapt to single-use or easy to clean menus, and consider disposable dinnerware.

It’s important to avoid spreading germs with high contact items like menus in your foodservice establishment. Although single-use printed menus can be expensive, many are considering transitioning to this option. Another option is to invest in easy to clean menus that can be sanitized after every use. Some restaurants are discontinuing the use of reusable dinnerware, flatware and glassware until further notice, and transitioning to using disposable dinnerware only. Check out our full assortment of disposables here.

Ramp up your delivery and take-out operations.

Delivery and take-out service will continue to be relevant as our perception of dining out changes. Transitioning your restaurant into a take-out machine can help boost your daily sales, while ensuring you can keep your brand up and running amid a potential crisis. When enhancing your take-out and delivery offering, it’s important to invest in the right disposables to ensure your food arrives hot and fresh at the final destination. Check out this robust guide on proper to-go packaging here.

Fix equipment yourself with our Tundra DIY resources and DIY Tech Connect™.

During this time, it’s important to empower yourself to take on DIY repairs in your commercial kitchen. Whether you’re taking preventative measures to keep your equipment lasting longer, or repairing a machine vs. replacing it, our DIY Tech Connect expert team is standing by to assist you. Check out our DIY resource library here. We even offer free virtual repair assistance via our DIY Tech Connect hotline. Restaurants can call to speak with a service tech for free at 866.318.0350.

Tundra DIY Tech Connect

About Rachel See

Rachel See is the Strategic Marketing Manager at Tundra Restaurant Supply. See specializes in building the Tundra brand identity through meaningful customer experience and approach. When she isn't developing and executing programs for Tundra Restaurant Supply, you can find her hiking in the Colorado front range with her australian shepherd and border collie.

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