New Jersey finally reopened indoor dining after six months of being hindered by the pandemic. So it's fair to say that these past few months have been detrimental to the hospitality industry. Fortunately, the weather was beautiful this summer, and Jersians were lucky enough to have outdoor dining as a viable option. As most of you know, restaurants are already tough to maintain as it is, so throw in a pandemic and it really puts a wrench on things. Almost 60% of restaurants fail their first year, and 80% within their first five - yup it's a tough business.
At Giovanna Hospitality, we will show you how to open successfully, and ensure you are prepared to welcome back guests, so we can all succeed in this new normal we are living in. Check out the reopening tips below that I've provided to help any restaurant owner during these uncertain times:
Tip #1
Create A Checklist
Confirm local government guidelines for reopening restaurants.
Figure out the capacity based on how many patrons you hold and how many you're allowed to have in one sitting.
Train and educate your staff on the FDA's Covid-19 best practices, CDC guidelines, and new SOP's for your team.
Make sure all condiments are single-use packages such as menus, utensils, placemats, ketchup, cheese, etc.
Order all appropriate masks, gloves, sanitizing wipes, etc.
Update your business hours on all platforms. Keep in mind this will be an area to play around it once you see what kind of demand your facing. Start off slow and progress has business demands.
Over communicate your safety protocols to your guests so they understand every angle you're taking to keep the staff and guests safe.
Adjust your floor plans due to the capacity of the restaurant
Create new side work lists and checklists, for FOH and BOH that include new cleaning protocols
Provide guests with a survey and feedback on everything you've implemented thus far.
Tip #2
Implement A Health Screening Everyday
This should include a variety of questions based on the CDC symptoms and even a temperature scan.
Temperature scanning guests as well is another great way to ensure safety in your establishment.
Tip #3
Adapt To This New Frontier
Touch less customer service experience.
Crucial to have your restaurant on all Mobile ordering apps.
Tip #4
Look For Opportunities
Better manage food costs.
Trim down menu.
Take items off that weren't selling or involved to much labor.
CROSS UTILIZATION- The practice of using same ingredients in 3 to 4 menu items. This will ultimately get you 3 to 4 meals. This is key!
Staff accordingly due to business levels. Schedule more staff at your busier hours and less during the slow time.
Following these four simple tips will help your restaurant crush it post Covid-19.
P.S. Customers, remember to be patient, and most importantly take care of your wait staff - for many of them have been out of work for months.
Love,
Giovanna xoxo
