How Can Restaurants Defend Themselves Against the Escalating Coronavirus Crisis?
Apart from COVID-19’s devastating effects on people’s health, the virus has taken its toll on businesses as well, especially within the restaurant industry.
So what emergency measures should restaurants take against the Coronavirus pandemic to avoid folding their restaurant businesses?
Offer minimum exposure takeaway at checkout.
Once you’ve implemented such service, just add a message for your food clients at the top of the cart to show them those safer options. Be ready to meet clients at your restaurant entrance or on their nearby parking place if they choose pickup. Last but not least, contactless delivery is the best option restaurants have at this time.
Offer cashless payments by card or PayPal.
Contactless delivery goes hand in hand with online payments or payments via PayPal. Limit the interaction between your customers and staff and physical bills to avoid spreading the infection. Let customers know they can pay online by posting the message on your website, in a highly visible place.
Reassure your website visitors that you took all necessary COVID-19 safety precautions.
More customers will probably visit your website rather than your restaurant right now. Put their minds at ease by letting them know what you and your staff are actively doing to prepare their food safely. Add an in-detail message on your website’s homepage.
Update your business information on Google.
Google advises businesses to update their information on Google My Business (GMB) to keep customers up-to-date. If you’ve closed your operation or changed your opening hours, make sure they’re updated on GMB.
Highlight safety one post at a time.
Similarly, if you want to share any COVID-19-related information with customers, use the Posts feature. You can share the safety measures you’re taking there as well.
Spread the word on social media.
Post the flyer on all of your social media profiles to inform your customers about your contactless delivery options.
Avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
At the moment, there is no evidence that food transmits COVID-19.
However, the World Health Organisation recommends cooking meat thoroughly & advises on separately storing the raw food in closed containers, since they may contain harmful bacteria.
Email COVID-19 safety measures to your existing customers.
Send them an email letting them know it’s safe to order food from your restaurant.
Ask your staff about delivery to avoid folding your business.
Talk with them about delivering food rather than staying in complete lockdown. If possible, distribute flyers to all nearby households to let them know that now they can order online on your website. Start easy: just deliver at close quarters for a while (500m far from your restaurant) to minimize exposure.
File an insurance claim and renegotiate your lease ASAP.
Despite all the safety precautions you will take, business is bound to take a hit in the following months. You will need to check your insurance and negotiate a rent cut for the time being, at least until the quarantine is removed. Here are some steps you need to take:
- If you have business interruption insurance that covers unexpected events, check whether the Coronavirus, as a pandemic, qualifies for it. Usually, this insurance covers physical damages, but it’s essential to check as it might save your business.
- Another similar type of insurance that might help is contingent business interruption insurance. This applies when the supplier of the insured company has shutdown.
- Carefully evaluate your insurance’s terms and conditions. Consider that business might deteriorate further, given the rapid spread of the virus.
- File a claim as soon as possible. Expect that you might have to fight it with a lawyer.
- In the meantime, talk to your landlord and try to renegotiate your lease.
Add a food seal sticker in every bag.
No-touch packaging is an additional safety measure that you can implement to let customers know no one else has touched their food from the moment it was placed in the bag, and they will know everyone who came into contact with their food is Coronavirus-safe.
Staple a health card to every delivery bag.
Right now, the most important thing for your clients is to know the people who prepare and handle their food are not infected with Coronavirus.
Add a health section on the receipt.
You can put the health info on the receipt to reassure customers about food safety.
Put a COVID-19 safety measures flyer in each bag.
Compile the list of all safety measures that you are taking as a restaurant owner. Also, add extra actions that customers can take themselves to order food safely. Put them on a flyer and add one in each takeaway bag.