Top 5 must do things to re-open your cafe

While the pandemic still exists across the planet, here in Australia restrictions are starting to ease. Check with your local state governments to see what you can and cannot do.

Checklist to Reopening Your Restaurant

While both customers and business owners are keen to get back into the game, how you open will impact on your success. Remember that COVID-19 is still extremely contagious.

No 1: Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Be seen to be clean, by making sure your standard cleaning schedule includes the sanitising all contact surfaces like tables and chairs, as well as food-contact surfaces. This has to be done after every table is vacated and before you invite the next cutomers into your venue. While this may have previously been something you did in an empty restaurant you now should be fastidious about doing it in front of customers. The better you apply this the more the confidence in your establishment will grow.

No 2: Protect your team

Communicate with your team to make sure they all clearly understand the why and how of your new operations. Make available and perhaps encourage everyone to wear masks and gloves, and not just in the kitchen. You could also consider installing clear barriers at key service points for additinal protection.

No 3: Cash is no longer king!

The virus can spread through the touching of money, so for everyone's safety make sure payments are made only by electronic methods.

No 4: Be disposable

Menu's... remove all the individual menus and consider replacing with either a blacbboard menu or by some electronic means. You could use a QR Code to allow your menu to pop up on the customers mobile phone. Have cutlery packaged in individual serve packets, or wrapped in a disposable serviette and bring these to the table either with the meal or after the order is placed. Replace condiment bottles and salt and pepper shakers with individual serves, or better yet, remove them completely.

No 5: Plan your menu

While the restrictions in NSW will allow 50 people from Monday 1 June, you have to remember that the 4 metre rule still applies. This will mean that smaller establishments might still only be allowed 10-15 people. If this is the case, every item on your menu will need to be highly profitable. No exceptions. You simply cannot afford to have low profit items included. Looking for ways to upsell will remain critical to success. Consider selling take home family dinners to anyone that dines at breakfast or lunch. So, in summary, as long as you keep the spotlight on food safety – sanitisation, employee health monitoring and personal hygiene, and social distancing – your food business will be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

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