How to Plan for Reopening: COVID-19
At the end of January 2020, the first case of COVID-19 made its way to the United States. By March, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared the outbreak a global pandemic and businesses around the globe were shut down. Among the businesses affected by the global shutdown were restaurants ranging from small local diners to large national chains. While many adapted to the crisis by offering takeout and delivery, others opted to close altogether. In either case, the level of new infected patients has dropped dramatically around the world, permitting many restaurants to once again reopen for business. Unfortunately, however, COVID-19 remains a threat to the entire world population and significant measures must be taken to protect staff, customers and the general public before re-opening. Consider these tips on how to plan for reopening after COVID-19.
1. Take Safety and Health Measures
Before re-opening your restaurant, whether for delivery and takeout or dine-in eaters, it is crucial to ensure that you take all the necessary steps to keep safety and health at the forefront. For starters, be sure to follow all the guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well as local jurisdictions. Restaurants in large metro areas, like New York City, for instance, may be required to follow different strategies for re-opening than ones located in small rural destinations with low infection rates. In most cases, restaurants will need to increase the amount of cleaning and sanitizing, maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet and require facial coverings. Additional steps, like minimizing the number of patrons in the establishment at a given time, rearranging tables to meet social distancing guidelines and checking temperatures of patrons or staff members who enter may also be encouraged or required.
2. Educate Patrons and Staff About Health and Safety Measures
When these steps are put in place, it is crucial to educate everyone about the efforts that are being made to protect their health. This can increase loyalty among both staff members and patrons and make them all feel more comfortable about ordering from or entering the facility. While you should hold ongoing staff meetings to discuss the additional safety measures, you can inform patrons of the restaurant through blog posts, websites, social media or directly in the facility with signs. Likewise, be sure to inform staff members to call out if they are experiencing any signs of illness and be sure to stress a need for increased handwashing for everyone in the facility.
3. Leverage Loyalty
Because of the widespread effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, regular patrons may be hesitant to visit restaurants. In these cases, it is crucial to leverage loyalty by offering incentives for repeat business, encouraging referrals and providing customers with plenty of options. For instance, instead of only offering take-out that requires customers to enter the building, offer different options like delivery or curb-side pickup. This will instill in customers that you truly care about their health and safety. Likewise, you can leverage loyalty by aiding the local community or spotlighting heroes that have helped in the COVID-19 crisis.
4. Reimagine How Tech Can Enable Delivery
Today, restaurants have a plethora of options for serving their patrons. If your restaurant does not offer delivery or is limited to a small radius with an in-house driver, it may be time to reimagine how technology can enable more delivery possibilities. One of the most popular ways to increase revenue, keep the community safe and offer convenience to customers is by utilizing third party delivery services. Services like Uber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDash and Postmates are widely available across the country and can be highly beneficial, especially in post COVID-19 times. The services operate using an app which connects users to all partnered restaurants within their area. This allows them to discover new establishments, offer ratings to other users and receive deliveries from restaurants that are typically out of their delivery area. Fortunately, partnering with any one of these services is extremely simple for restaurants and can typically be launched within less than a week. For restaurants who choose to partner with multiple third-party delivery services, integration with the Point-of-Sale system is possible with apps like OrderOut. This makes the process seamless while drawing in new customers and increased revenue.
5. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Money
Business during the COVID-19 pandemic has been unpredictable to say the least. Some restaurants have had to keep their doors closed altogether while the remaining establishments have merely stayed afloat through takeout and delivery services. In either case, don’t underestimate the value of money for your business. Despite closures and limitations on business as normal, restaurants can encourage later purchases by offering gift cards, re-opening specials and outdoor dining options.
6. Communicate with Employees
If your restaurant has been closed for a lengthy period and you have been forced to lay off employees as a result, be sure that you are communicating with employees. Even if you are unsure of when they will be rehired, regular communication can provide comfort in this time of crisis where employees may be struggling to make ends meet.
7. Create a Strategic Plan for the Future
Although your restaurant is on path for re-opening, it is crucial to prepare for a similar scenario in the future. Create a strategic plan for how your business will operate in future pandemics or recurrences of the virus. When developing this plan, be sure to protect the best interest of the business, staff and general public. For some, this might mean investing in more take-out containers while for others it may mean adding outdoor seating. The plan should be catered to each specific business and should take into account the local guidelines and recommendations as they may vary from one location to the next.
By following these steps, you will ensure a safe and successful re-opening and can better prepare your staff and customers for the future. If a key step in re-opening your restaurant consists of partnering with a third party food delivery service, be sure to explore integration services such as OrderOut to maximize revenue and streamline the process.
