To-do list for Restaurant Industry during a pandemic

-By KuldeepDhyani

COVID 19 Outbreak

To-do list for Restaurant Industry
during a pandemic.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic is definitely breaking the backbone of the restaurant industry.
Business is on low as the customers are sacred & maintaining a safe distance from restaurants.
There is a sharp dip in the number of people ordering food online for delivery.

While this drastic change in customers buying behaviour damages the market. It becomes
obvious for the market to take some time to recover from this shock.

It is a challenging time for restaurant owners while the trust of the customers towards them
have gone down amid fear of COVID 19.

This virus outbreak has smacked us on our faces revealing how venerable we are as a society to
tackle situations which are in our hands today. It's not like that we never envisioned something
like this hurdling at us. Reality is that we have been ignorant & were completely unprepared for
something like this with this magnitude. This is a war against an invisible enemy which spreads
like wildfire with a tail of misfortune & misery.

No wonder why this is making people shy away from restaurants now. It is because restaurants
have always kept their working processes reserved. That opaque layer between the kitchen &
customer is costing the restaurant owners. 

So now what to do, how do we prepare ourselves?

It is time that we clear the haze by spreading awareness which is necessary to ensure safety for
the people. If we want to win this war, we will have to take care of every stakeholder to ensure
that the industry keeps on moving. We will crumble if even a single stakeholder of the industry
takes hit by the impact of this pandemic.

We will have to put extra effort ensuring customers regarding the safety measures. How to
break the chain of corona & work together to create a hygienic supply chain for food delivery.
It is time to redesign the ecosystem of supply chain around us. 

Now the question arises that how restaurants can earn the

customers trust back?

Restaurants & delivery partners are the running partners of this industry. They will have to
design a step by step communication for the customers to make them understand how they
ensuring to break the COVID-19 chain. Customer should feel that the restaurants are taking all
the necessary precautions for public health.

How to connect with customers?

Connect with the customers using social media through videos & graphic content. Create the
content on packaging such that consumer can feel the warmth laced with care by the
restaurants.

Governments involvement is also necessary to provide guidelines & outreach plans for the
public. To create a positive atmosphere role of public leaders becomes essential in these
conditions. These stakeholders of the industry can help accelerate the reach & impact of the
communications.

Show them how you protect yourself to protect them! 

Firstly, introduce them to your team & tell them how the restaurant is monitoring employees
health by screening their temperatures every day. Showcase them how the code of conduct is
followed by every team member. It will ensure them that no one is bringing virus home as the
restaurant is breaking the chain of the virus from the outside environment.

Make sure employees are wearing masks & gloves when they are inside the work station. Also,
showcase how a proper process of sanitization is followed before anyone enters the restaurant.

Be 110% sure to keep a close eye on every employee following the protocols or else you will end
up brewing virus which will eventually be fatal for the ecosystem. Restaurant owners will have to
place monitoring systems to keep a timely check on the employees.

Sanitizing the inward supplies!

Ensure them regarding what are the sources of your groceries & the process of procurement of
goods are such that it breaks the chain of coronavirus. Show them the process of how you
disinfect all the procured goods & ensure them that there is no chance that coronavirus can
house your storage.

Zero contact packaging!

Think of an onion when you think of packaging. Design a layer on layer packaging such that
customer can also break the corona chain of contact. The package should mention the code of
conduct in which a delivery boy need to handle the package & how customers should receive the
delivery.

Educate customers to shift their perspective!

A to-do list should be shared with the customers on the packages. This will help them to protect
their family from this virus invasion. They should be informed to wear gloves while accepting
deliveries & follow all the necessary guidelines prescribed to them.

Temperature specification labelling on the food will help the customer to convince that there is
no possibility of virus existence on the package which is packed inside.

If we will be able to convince the customers we will surely be able to survive in these grave times.

Conclusion

It is the collective effort which can help take us further as a society to build a stronger community
than before. We just can’t sit at home as this is not in human nature to give up. We will have to be
more vigilant & conscious of our actions.

Our societies are knitted with a fragile fabric if we will not pay our due care & attention which it
requires it will fall apart. We will have to fight within to break the web ignorance towards the
ecosystem where we are living in today.