Reopening Your Restaurant: A Quick Guide to Doing it Right
If you’re a restaurant owner, I’m sure you’re looking forward to reopening and getting back to business.
But diners are nervous. In a recent survey, by P&G Professional, more than 70% of diners expect more thorough and frequent cleaning in restaurants, and 74% want to know how restaurants are being cleaned and sanitized and what measures are being taken to ensure food safety.
Here are some quick actions you can take to alleviate the social distancing and sanitizing concerns of diners and reassure them that it is safe to return.
Social Distancing
To conform to social distancing guidelines, most restaurants are rearranging dining rooms and outdoor spaces with fewer tables and diners, spaced at least six feet apart. Servers and staff who wear gloves and masks provide an extra level of safety and comfort to customers. Restaurants that previously offered salad bars or buffets are being urged to stop.
In addition, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends decreasing the number of employees in shared spaces, including kitchens and break rooms, to allow for the recommended 6-foot social distance.
Clean and Sanitize
In June, the FDA published “Best Practices for Re-Opening Retail Food Establishments During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
The first question in the “Clean, Disinfect, and Sanitize” section is: “Are necessary sanitizers and disinfectants that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2 available and used per label instructions to clean and disinfect the facility during hours of operation?”
I’m delighted to share that I have started working with P&G Professional, who makes a variety of EPA-registered cleaning and disinfecting products available for restaurants.
Like most people, I use Procter & Gamble products, such as Dawn, Charmin, Mr Clean, and Safeguard, in my house. When I started working with the P&G Professional team, I got to try out the professional-grade products in the office, and boy, do they work! My floors, counters, and bathrooms are clean and sanitized!
The team has also educated me on proper restaurant cleaning and disinfecting procedures necessary due to the coronavirus outbreak, and I wanted to share this information with you.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces
Wow! Restaurants have a ton of surfaces that need to be cleaned and disinfected.
For dry surfaces such as countertops, tables, door handles, and windows, Spic and Span Disinfecting Multi-Purpose Cleaner is a great choice. It saves you time and money by replacing three products with one: glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, and hospital use disinfectant. Use it on windows, countertops, display cases, tables, chairs, mirrors, walls, and registers. Spic and Span® removes soil, cuts grease and disinfects, and it’s EPA-registered.
Food contact surfaces, including cutting boards, third sinks, tables, and chairs, and other non-porous hard surfaces, can be cleaned and sanitized with the P&G Professional Clean Quick Quaternary Sanitizer. It’s an EPA-registered no-rinse sanitizer that doesn’t leave a chlorine bleach odor.
Bathrooms are full of germs, but P&G Professional has got you covered, with the EPA-registered Comet Disinfecting Sanitizing Bathroom Cleaner. This heavy-duty restroom cleaner and surface deodorizer cleans and disinfects in one step. You can use it on wet surfaces, such as toilets, urinals, sinks, countertops, fixtures, soap scum, and tile. It’s non-abrasive, so you can use it on porcelain, ceramic, Formica, enamel, chrome, fiberglass, stainless steel and synthetic marble.
As with any cleaning product, follow all safety instructions. The products are safe and effective when used as directed.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Hands
Since the outbreak, I have been washing my hands constantly. Your employees and customers will need to wash their hands, too. I never appreciated those touchless hand sanitizer dispensers as much as I do now, and so will the people who come into your restaurant.
P&G Professional offers touchless dispensers for both Safeguard Hand Soap and Safeguard Hand Sanitizer, both of which are EPA-registered.
The hand soap removes more than 99% of bacteria from hands, and, of course, washes away dirt.
The Safeguard® Hand Hygiene System is EPA-registered and contains 65% ethanol, and helps fight cross contamination. Your employees and customers can use it often, because it’s gentle. I learned that this is the best way to use hand sanitizer: rub it thoroughly over the surfaces of both hands, and then rub your hands together until the product is dry.
Safety = Sales
These safety measures are important but don’t forget to let customers know you are disinfecting surfaces often with EPA-approved products, using in-store placards and digital banners on your website. Just like the survey results above show, Diners want to know how restaurants are being cleaned and sanitized. Sharing this information will help them feel safer and more confident that your store is clean and disinfected and could help lead to great word of mouth buzz and ultimately, you’ll get more diners.
I hope these practices will make your customers and employees feel safer, happier, and lead to growing sales!
Oh – and don’t forget to check out www.PGPro.com/ to sign up for exclusive discounts, or request a consultation from a P&G Professional expert.
This post is sponsored by P&G Professional