Finding ways to protect guests in your restaurant is more important than ever. The restaurant industry has been hardest hit by the pandemic. As it rises from the beatings of closures,  reopening presents many challenges. How to protect guests and employees being chief among them.

Coping with the current circumstances now means having to operate in an entirely different structure. This also includes operating with a new goal on top of making your guests happy: keeping them protected.

It goes without saying that you need to follow state and federal protocols as well as CDC guidelines – face masks, social distancing, reduced capacities, frequent disinfection, etc. Aside from that, there are many other steps you can take to further boost protection for your guests and employees as well.

Here are a couple of things you can do to bolster a safer dining environment for your restaurant’s most valued patrons:

Easily Accessible Hand Washing and Sanitizing 

No amount of campaigning can encourage people to sanitize and wash more than easy availability. While it is not viable to build additional washing stations, investing and improving cleanliness systems in place definitely is.

These changes don’t have to be drastic or expensive! Something as simple as ensuring there is an adequate supply of soap and paper towels. Sanitizer is easily kept at high-traffic areas to encourage use. Entrances, doorways, outside bathrooms, for example. 

This way, everyone who enters gets the chance to clean up and disinfect before making contact with surfaces around your facility.

Encourage Cashless/Contactless Payment

While we cannot expect to fully eradicate cash payments, cashless payments are still your safer bet. It would help to encourage patrons towards that direction. How exactly can you do this? For one, you can emphasize how much safer it is compared to high-touch, cash transactions. Second, it would also help reassure customers that your business is protected against the usual risks involved with card use.

Third, if it is an option for you, expand your cashless payment options. While credit and debit cards remain the top choices, mobile and online methods might be well worth looking into. Not only is it safer, but it is also more enticing to the younger, hipper crowd.

Alternatives to High-touch Items 

Menus have made it to every “Dirtiest Items in a Restaurant” list ever made in the last decade or so. And in the last couple of months, it has become a topic of discussion. Menus being both indispensable and high-touch brings up rather insightful conversations: how do you get its informative benefit without turning it into a virus free-for-all?

There are a couple of alternatives. Consider going for disposable menus or old-fashioned menu boards. QR-scanned menu lists that appear on the diners’ phones are also a great touchless alternative!

Linen Rental Service

Viruses don’t live as long on textiles as they do on solid, flat surfaces. This means that linens are actually a better table setup solution. They don’t harbor viruses the way laminates, plastics, and wood does. They are also easier to replace so instead of toiling away with three layers of strong-smelling disinfectants on your table, you can do just one. The linens are all the added protective layers that you need. Plus, they make your tables look pretty.

According to CDC guidelines, table linens must be replaced after every customer and laundered accordingly. Linens need the kind and caliber of care that the experts at Braun Linen can give!

Braun Linen is Here to Help!

Secure your table linens and services with Braun Linen. Call (800) 272-8657 or fill out this form for inquiries and price quote requests.