Best Practices
Survival Tip #9: Overcoming the FEAR Factor
The predominant emotion today is fear. Fear of contracting the virus or transmitting it to someone else. As you prepare to reopen some parts of your restaurant, recognize that many folks, even some of your regulars, are going to be apprehensive and even fearful of dining in a restaurant.
Safety doesn't happen by accident.
- Author Unknown
You can do a lot to assuage people's fears. Begin immediately to communicate, communicate, and communicate your personal commitment to the health and safety of your employees, guests, vendors, and your community.
Be out front on this by taking decisive, effective steps to make your restaurant sanitary and safe. Then provide credible information on the practices you and your team are performing every day in your restaurant.
Here are some ways to begin to alleviate much of the public apprehension and help form a level of confidence that your restaurant's food to go and dining experience is safe.
- Put your response to COVID-19 and your commitment to safety and sanitation front and center on your home page. Virtually all chain restaurants are doing this. Independents should be doing this too.
- Make your safety commitment and practices visible on your social media pages as well. Regularly post stories and pictures of your staff with masks, cleaning, sanitizing stations and things that show health and safety as your top priority.
- Produce a simple but heartfelt video describing your safety promise and what you and your team are doing.
Taking these steps should go a long way in boosting your local community's confidence of dining in your restaurant.
