This last month, and particularly
last weeks has been highly active regarding the new set of rules affecting the
foodservice industry in Georgia related to the economic impact of the current
Covid-19. The first 2 Executive orders provide safety guidelines on operations
for certain businesses to start providing services open to public:
- Executive Order 04.23.20.02 “Providing
guidance for reviving a healthy Georgia in response to COVID-19”
- Executive Order 04.20.20.01 “Providing
flexibility for healthcare practices, moving certain businesses to minimum
operations, and providing for emergency response”).
- Executive Order 04.27.20.01 “Providing
additional guidance for food service establishments, bowling alleys, and
theaters in response to COVID-19”. This comes to explain and detail some of
the scope for defining “Restaurants and Dining Services” used in E.O. 04.23.20.02
as the definition contained in Georgia code section 26-2-370(2) as well
as extending for 120 days the permission for holders of a foodservice
establishment maintaining an “A” food safety grade and has scheduled a routine
inspection between March 14th, 2020 and September 10th , 2020.
- Executive Order 04.30.20.01 “Renewing
the Public Health State of Emergency issued on March 14 and renewed on April 8
to assist with the state's response to COVID-19”. It was published just Thursdays, and it renew
until June 12, 2020 the Public Health State of Emergency.
By doing so, the Governor adopted
by reference Executive Orders 03.14.20.01 and 04.08.20.02 which stablished the State
of Emergency, while at the same time, extending for 43 days Section III of
Executive Order 04.23.20.02 which defines a more narrowed definition (by vulnerable
population) of Shelter in place guidelines.
Those rules affect the foodservice
industry in Georgia, and below some ideas on how those rules will affect businesses
that are currently operating within the Estate of Georgia or are planning to
start operations for dining-in services.
Communications: it is paramount that businesses to considers better
and more direct ways to communicate with your customers, whether to attract
them to re visit the business or to level expectations while experience the services businesses
are ready to offer them.
Many practices that businesses
might have in place to enhance their customers experience while enjoying a meal,
require a higher level of interaction and amiability from their personnel.
Under new rules such practices are forbidden, and businesses should let their
customers know in advance, how following new rules to keep them safe, will
modify the business and their experience while dinning-in.
Other ways
communication will be useful to enhance customers experience will be by
avoiding confusion while at the location. Therefore, if businesses design a
good communication strategy which informs customers their table, menu options,
and what to expect in general under these new circumstances, patrons will
improve their safety perception and will level their expectations during their
dinning in service. Automatization and technology will play an important role.
There are some minimum
guidelines that must be observed related to communications within the foodservice
businesses, such as signs or marks when applicable for: i.-forbidding
people with Covid-19 symptoms to go inside the facility; ii.-Entrance
only and Exit only doors; iii.-floor marks indicating social
distancing space for waiting lines or waiting space; iv.-floor
marks indicating people flow during visit in the store; v.-Directing
employees to use protective equipment while working; vi.-
restroom disinfection schedule; vii.-New floor plans indicating
table numbers for easier access by customers.
Finally, communication
with your food and services supply chain, in order to assure as best as possible,
that your business will have the necessary items needed not only for the food
and beverage operations within regular business, but also some minimum
requirements needed to have under the new rules, such as hand sanitizer or
similar to make available for customers while dining in.
For small and medium
size businesses, might worth evaluate the services and tools their current
foodservice providers have available. It might be in the business best interest
for the short and long run to partner with the broadliner that will provide them
with added value: the tools and services that might help them navigate during these
uncertain times.
Training
and documentation:
It is required by these new rules that businesses personnel is sufficiently and
frequently trained. Businesses should make sure designated person with the Food Safety Manager certification has it up-to-date, and that required
training is provided to all personnel. Having all this properly documented will
help speeding any inspection process and will help allow businesses to reassure
your employees and customers a proper safe environment.
Managing
people movements. When
redrafting floor plans to comply with the Section IV Restaurants and Dining
Services definition for Single Location as used in the definition of Gathering
in Section I, businesses should take in consideration customers and employees
flow throughout the facility. Remember
that although public space square feet will include waiting and bar areas, it
shall not consider the square footage of restrooms, hallways nor the space
closed to the public. Keep in mind that whenever possible, it is the business’ responsibility
to avoid people clusters. Therefore, it
will be needed to manage how people will move around, whether it is because
they are workers or they are dinning-in customers.
We would like to hear from you,
and what plans you are implementing to have a safe reopening to the public.