How to Help Customers Feel Safe in Your Restaurant During COVID-19

By Morgan Fitzgerald

In the past six months, restaurants everywhere have adapted as COVID-19 continues to transform how the world operates. As we acclimate to the age of socially distanced hospitality, here are some tips to help preserve the feeling of comfort guests crave in your restaurant while keeping them safe.

As unprecedented safety measures are executed, business owners are prioritizing the health of employees and guests as well as the functionality of their business model above all else, and rightfully so. However, how these procedures are communicated to your guests is almost just as important. To effectively explain safety protocols to guests, your staff should have an informed understanding of CDC guidelines, brand standards and local mandates. Managers can enhance the effectiveness of required training by having follow-up conversations and role-playing specific scenarios. This keeps the material fresh in their minds while also developing their ability to communicate information both accurately and personably.

Consider coaching team members on how to give off a friendly demeanor while wearing a mask. Smiling may seem pointless when your mouth is covered but doing so makes your presence more approachable. This advice may be similar to what you would tell an employee who is working in the drive-thru: It is important for a guest to hear an uplifting tone of voice, even if they can’t fully see the face of the person assisting them. These seemingly small gestures have always been important to offering a positive experience but are now more important than ever because the quality of the guest’s time in your restaurant needs to outshine risk of exposure.

Additionally, though your restaurant looks different in a socially distanced format, you can still create an atmosphere that is both inviting and spaced appropriately. Rather than roping sections off with tape or cones, make the space feel welcoming by decorating closed tables with flowers and artwork. Even if your restaurant’s dining room is open for to-go orders only, customers will still appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and the effort put into creating it.

In this era of unknown, guests need to know brands they rely on are still able to meet their expectations. Things such as updating Google and Apple maps with accurate hours of operation and dining room closures may require attention to detail from restaurant staff but are actually part of the customer’s most basic need – convenience. Most guests understand that exposure to COVID-19 can cause sudden closures but will feel frustrated if they arrive expecting to be able to go inside your restaurant and discover it is closed or drive-thru only. If this happens, a customer may be less likely to return to your location out of fear the situation will happen again once it is reopened.

Your goal is to provide a safe environment where guests can see the thought put into their experience. Find a balance between communicating information about safety requirements and creating a sense of normalcy. Remember that times of uncertainty can create the unique opportunity to earn a deeper level of trust among your customers and solidify their business with you for years to come.