How To Get Back On Track With Your Dallas Restaurant After Covid-19 Lockdown
Now that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced restaurants can return to full capacity, restaurant owners are eager to resume business. However, they are also concerned about another spike in outbreaks causing another shutdown. Here, we review some of the practices recommended by experts to keep everyone safe and get back on track with your Dallas restaurant after Covid-19 lockdown.
State health recommendations – checklist for Dallas restaurants after Covid-19 lockdown
Below are some highlights of the Texas State Health Recommendations: Checklist for Restaurants:
Facility recommendations
- Make sure social distancing is maintained in your table and bar seating layout
- Designate one person to operate entrances to reduce customer touchpoints
- Set up sanitation stations for customer use at entrances and as appropriate in employee areas
- Set up physical barriers at natural gathering points (ie, register, hostess stand) and between tables when maintaining 6 feet of distance is not possible
Service recommendations
- Maintain 6 feet of distance between groups of customers, both while waiting in line and while in the restaurant
- Keep tables bare until customers are seated
- Community access to items (ie, condiments, silverware, napkins, buffets, etc.) is discouraged
- Condiment bottles, reusable menus, tabletops, and seats should be sanitized between customers
- Display visible signage to encourage customers to follow social distancing and hygiene recommendations
Employee recommendations
- Educate employees on enhanced sanitation practices, enhanced hygiene practices, and respiratory etiquette
- Instruct employees who have Covid-19 symptoms or who have been exposed to Covid-19 not to come to work per quarantine guidelines
- Screen employees before allowing them to work, or use regular employee Covid-19 testing onsite to identify infected employees and prevent an outbreak
Business resources
- Dallas City Hall Covid-19 Business Resources – has the latest state executive order and sample signage for recommended practices
- Dallas Economic Development Small Business Resources – links for local, state, and federal financial assistance programs for small businesses, as well as third-party grants and loans
Why regularly testing employees for Covid-19 is valuable
Another way to safely operate your Dallas restaurant after Covid-19 lockdown is with regular testing. Testing employees on an ongoing basis allows you to identify people who are infected and send them home, preventing them from spreading the virus to coworkers. You can avoid lost revenue and the extra expenses that come with temporary closures.
Breaking employees into smaller teams that work together is another way to further prevent outbreaks, and allows you to have back up staff ready to go if someone gets sick.
Some employers choose to use DIY testing kits for their staff, which can be purchased in bulk from labs. These must be self-administered, and business owners are responsible for collecting and shipping the samples to the lab indicated by the kit.
Restaurant owners who are unsure about the various employee forms and waivers involved may wish to consider an onsite medical services provider like Drip Hydration. These services will send a nurse to your restaurant to test all of your employees at once, and take care of getting the results. Drip Hydration can offer advice on what paperwork you need and provide guidance if someone tests positive.
“86” Covid-19 Outbreaks With Drip Hydration
If you need help making a Covid-19 safety plan for your restaurant, contact Drip Hydration for our Covid-19 Consultation and Covid-19 Testing services. We can guide you through all the forms, and custom tailor a plan that’s practical for your business. Our testing services include all materials and sample handling, as well as professional medical attention from our licensed nurses.
If someone tests positive, our clinicians can offer advice on the next steps for your employee and for the business. We offer progressive discounts, which may make our services more affordable than you think. Call us today for a quote!
