Save Restaurants with Effective Precautions
Going out to eat looks different in 2020. For months, indoor dining has been limited and even closed in many cities across the nation. This lack of business has caused many restaurant owners a great deal of financial stress. As restaurants have begun to reopen their doors to onsite dining, it is crucial that we create a safer dining experience for patrons and staff with a few steps to lead us in the right direction.
The CDC released a list of preventative measures restaurants should take in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19 as indoor dining resumes. Restaurants are encouraged to offer outdoor dining options to guests to allow for socially distanced tables in all areas. Temperature screening at the door is recommended across the country and is even required in some states, such as New York. Save restaurants and help return business with precautions such as these and proper PPE and face covering requirements, all while guests can reclaim the excitement and convenience of dining-in.
Outdoor Seating
When taking the leap back into dining in a public setting, outdoor seating is a great place to start! Many cities across the country have implemented outdoor dining while indoor dining rooms are still closed. This is a great option to allow for natural airflow and reduce person to person interaction in enclosed spaces. Restaurants with pre-existing patio dining, have provided a quick solution for patrons. On the other hand, many businesses have gone out of their way to build outdoor seating into their previous layout and workflow to create a safe dining experience for their guests. Outdoor seating has become one of the most popular quick-fix solutions to save restaurants and encourage a safer return to on-site dining.
Temperature Screening
Some cities have begun to reopen their doors for indoor dining along with the outdoor seating options. This luxury comes with new guidelines and requirements. Temperature screening checks at restaurant entrances are required in New York City for indoor dining and are recommended across the country. Implementing thermal cameras at entrance points helps save restaurants with a frontline defense for the establishment and offers greater peace of mind for employees and patrons. ICI offers both handheld and fixed mount solutions to provide a variety of products and features for all types of restaurant entrances and price points. These body surface temperature screening devices help keep symptomatic patrons and employees out of food establishments and intercept possible contamination.
Fixed Mount
A Mobile Cart Fixed Mount System is the perfect solution for restaurants with high traffic. Attended solutions, such as this one, are equipped with centralized monitoring to make integration into existing security systems convenient and stress free. Rapid screening allows an employee to scan the body surface temperature of a person before entering the building with speed and efficiency which removes the risk of long lines or backups at the door. Streamline the movement of people as guests are seated, all while the employee remains socially distanced from patrons.
Handheld
Mom and Pop shops may find that handheld temperature screening options better fit the needs of their business. With lower traffic flows and congestion of people, handheld infrared thermometers provide a cost efficient tool for temperature screening. This non contact process allows an operator to scan the body temperature of a guest and recognize elevated temperatures from a short distance. The LCD screen and audible alerts ensure this tool is simple to use and highly effective. ICI’s handheld equipment is lightweight and portable to enable it for mobile use.
Social Distanced Dining
Whether dining outdoors or inside a restaurant, it is crucial to practice social distancing. Restaurants have the ability to rearrange tables and floor plans to ensure the maximum amount of space between patrons and ample room for employees to move about the establishment. When dining indoors, there is less natural airflow. Therefore, spread out tables encourage social distanced dining. The CDC recommends symptomatic people to stay home to slow the spread of contamination. We can catch some symptoms at the door through temperature screening. When it comes to asymptomatic people, tools, and techniques such as socially distanced seating arrangements save restaurants with an easily implemented precaution.
Employee Protection with PPE and Face Covering Requirements
Employee protection is rightfully a high priority for restaurant owners. Acquiring and wearing proper PPE is an important step to create a safer environment for restaurant staff. A cloth face covering is most important when it is difficult to keep a physical distance. These masks should be worn in the proper fashion and washed according to CDC recommendations. It is crucial to encourage guests to keep face coverings on at all times, when not eating. This simple precaution is a buffer and defense against unintentional contamination.
Slow the Spread at The Door
The year 2020 has thrown a wrench into many businesses, but we can help save restaurants if we take these few precautions. When outdoor seating is offered as an option, temperature screening is in place, tables are socially distanced, and proper PPE and face coverings are worn, we are working to slow the spread of COVID-19 at the door. The more intentional restaurants are to implement a frontline defense, the quicker we can return to indoor dining with peace of mind. As indoor dining begins to reopen, it is up to restaurant owners to create a safer dining experience. Take advantage of this turnkey solution, and protect your employees and patrons with ICI temperature screening technology.
