7 Finishing Touches:

Getting Your Hospitality Business Ready for the New Normal

After months of uncertainty, many businesses are getting ready to reopen for good and make up for the hard months we have all gone through. However, as customers are getting ready to flood restaurants, retail shops, and bars, it is important to remember that not everything will immediately go back to what it was before. 

Therefore, once you know when your restaurant or bar is open to the public again, it is crucial to carefully plan for the big day. Undoubtedly, as an owner or manager, you have already thought about the changes that need to happen from an operational point of view. Here are some of the finishing touches to put in place to be fully ready to welcome your customers back in. 

Design a Social Distancing-Friendly Floor Plan

One of the biggest challenges for restaurant managers and designers has always been to find a floor plan that allows for a smart traffic flow and smooth operations. However, Covid-19, as well as all the consequent social distancing measures and restrictions, have added an extra challenge. Today, it is essential to rethink the floor plan to allow for the necessary space between guests and staff members. A social-distancing-friendly plan might include limiting capacity and moving covers around. 

Add Extra Sanitation Stations

While some of the restrictions might be lifted over the next few months, some precautions will remain in place. Adding extra sanitation stations around the restaurant or bar can help you keep the whole business safe. When investing in sanitation stations, make sure they are easy to clean and maintain, and plan for the necessary stock to always have enough sanitizer in the building. 

Introduce Branded Social Distancing Signs

Social distancing signs are a great way to remind staff members and guests to enjoy their experience at your restaurant while also being mindful of others. They might also play an essential role in ensuring that each of your guests feels safer and looked after while on the premises. 

Opting for branded or personalized signs allows you to add a personal touch to your premises while also keeping in line with your business vision and personality. For example, if your main focus is on sustainability, you might opt for environmentally-friendly signs printed in your brand’s colors. 

Craft a Comprehensive Cleaning Checklist

Maintaining the premises clean and hygienic has always been important for hospitality businesses, but it is even more essential in a post-pandemic scenario. Make sure your staff members are briefed regarding the additional cleaning measures and tasks that need to be completed on a daily basis. This won’t only help you save precious time, but it can also streamline your day-to-day operations. 

Think About Promoting Takeaway Services

Having to limit a business capacity is something that no business owners happily embrace. Indeed, often, fewer customers mean fewer profits. However, it has never been so important to create a safer hospitality environment. Therefore, you should consider putting more effort into creating additional income streams. 

For example, takeaway services have spiked during Covid-19, a trend that is not going to fade away soon. So, you might consider updating your website to streamline online ordering and takeaways. This choice not only allows you to keep in touch with your audience and maintain your business’s presence but also improves your profits after months of closures. 

Rethink the Menu

If you own or manage a hospitality business, you know how important it is to communicate your brand through signs, leaflets, and menus. However, menus are the one element that often gets passed around and held by many hands. Even if you try to clean and sanitize each page often, it is easy to forget this routine during hectic lunch and dinner times. At the same time, menus are essential in a restaurant! 

So, you should consider moving towards a digital menu and leveraging something that all of your guests will have: a mobile phone! With limited expenses, you can create a simple QR code that can be placed on each table and easily scanned by each of the guests. This won’t only help you reduce your already-growing list of cleaning tasks but will also streamline your service and offer a safer and viable alternative to your guests.  

Check the New Updates on Local Restrictions

If there is something we have learned from the pandemic is that things can change quickly and unexpectedly. Even if you have a plan to reopen your business, you should continue checking the local restrictions and regulations to ensure that you are in line with health and safety guidelines.