1 – Restaurants
Restaurants have a number of industry-specific issues that need to be addressed as businesses reopen and/or return to serving customers on-site. It is important to understand the official government guidelines you will be required to follow and industry best practices for implementing those guidelines.
Reopening Guidelines
Reopening Guidelines from the Virginia Governor’s Office: Physical Distancing, Cleaning, and Workplace Safety Best Practices- FDA – Best Practices for Food & Beverage Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A good, authoritative source on health guidelines for Food & Beverage employers and workers. Additional information can be found on the FDA’s Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 page
- OSHA – Takeout and Curbside Pickup Guidance: These are being continuously updated, so this link is to OSHA’s Publications page where the latest document can be found.
- CDC – Considerations for Restaurants and Bars: As bars and restaurants phase back into operations, the CDC has issued a series of guidelines and best practices, which they stress “are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which businesses must comply.” The CDC has also issued the following decision tree tool to help restaurants and bars decide when to reopen
Best Practices from Leading Industry Organizations
- Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association – COVID-19 Resource Center: Contains industry and state-specific information, including individual documents form government agencies and trade groups
- National Restaurant Association – ServSafe – COVID-19 Precautions Training Videos: FREE English and Spanish training video to train operators and staff to reopen restaurants with new COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. Upon completion of training, you receive a record of training that can be displayed to communicate to customers the steps you are taking to keep them safe
- National Restaurant Association – ServSafe Coronavirus Primer: A thorough document with specific information on food safety issues
- National Restaurant Association – Reopening Guidance: Guidance for restaurants that complement state government opening plans
- RestaurantOwner.com – Surviving the Coronavirus Crisis: This site covers a wide range of restaurant-specific resources, including a comeback webinar series
Food Safety Checklist: FDA Best Practices for Re-opening Retail Food Establishments During COVID-19 by Sandy Stoneman – Virginia Cooperative Extension
Resources from the SBDC
- Restaurant Checkup Guide: A checklist to help understand the health of your restaurant.
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Food Supply Chain of the Food Services Industry: A review of the current situation and points of consideration when reopening. (Download Slides)
- Refocus and Rebuild: Helping Virginia Businesses Reopen in a COVID-19 World: A Focus On Forward Virginia Phase 1 Regulations, Business Decisions and Operations for the Food Industry