As Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine leads the state to a gradual reopening starting May 1, many are wondering what that looks like for restaurants… including restaurants.
While no specific information has yet been finalized on the local level, if you look toward the White House’s guidelines for reopening America, dine-in restaurants are some of the first businesses to reopen and will be able to “operate under strict physical distancing protocols.”
After restaurants (and bars) were ordered to shutter their doors to the public on March 15, some pivoted to assorted models of carry-out, curbside pick-up, delivery and drive-thru options to continue to serve the community and offset revenue loss. And all processes adapted to Ohio Department of Health and CDC guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19: contactless pick-up or delivery, online or call-ahead ordering, credit card only payments, social distancing, etc.
So while many wait for official news, the Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) and the Ohio Environmental Health Association have drafted a list of initial recommended restaurant operating guidelines at the request of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted.
In an email, the ORA said, “Our sector is critical to the food distribution channel in America and Ohio, where we generate 51% of all food dollars. We are confident that restaurants currently operating with carryout, drive-through and delivery have demonstrated heightened levels of safety over the past 6 weeks. We see no difference between restaurants and grocery stores providing food to the public as essential businesses, assuming safe operating procedures to avoid virus transmission.”
The ORA says restaurants should be prepared to operate with the following going forward:
- Social distancing and capacity guidelines
- Facial coverings
- Heightened standards of hygiene and sanitization
- Employee health monitoring
“We look forward to working closely with 23,000+ foodservice locations in Ohio and health officials across the state to ensure a safe environment for our guests and employees. We are looking forward to the next phase of business in Ohio so that restaurants can begin a road to recovery.”
This article appears in Apr 22-28, 2020.
I’m having trouble visualizing a restaurant where diners must keep their mouths covered for the safety of the establishment’s employees and other patrons. I have no problem drinking through a straw that slips under the mask, but what about solid foods?
So will dishwashers have to wear hazmat suits?
When do the strip clubs open back up? Will the strippers have to wear masks?
Artful dodger, do you use any other parts of the internet? There are articles and videos out there. Why continue to be a know nothing ignoramus?
@larry,,I know your a nutcase, scared of Bill Gates, bike lanes,5g( eventhough your on you cell here all day every day) worried about a chip in you vaccine when the chip in your phone has been tracking you for years,,,ya your the one to take advice from here,,,,not.
You must be very lonely
Hey Larry,,, you know not everything on the internet is true,,,ah forget it,,,,your already lost
Don’t forget to create multiple logins so you can up vote your stupidity. You just like being the ODD man out there, probably been that way all your life.
Peace2all is just what we needed, another deliberately ignorant idiot who doesnt know how to use the internet to get information so he just makes fun of others. The chip in the phone is a little different then a biometric chip in your blood stream. Why are you so dismissive of Bill Gates and his agenda? The guy has paralyzed thousands in Africa with his vaccines and sterilized thousands more. He’s everywhere you look talking about using his own money to fund vaccines for the world when we supposedly don’t even know how the virus works yet. This is of no concern to you?
Your an odd person,,,I bet you believe the story where the Clinton’s and others go on human hunting trips,,,,,I seen it on the internet so it must be true,,,,,,idiot
I will go out on a limb here,, not really,,but I bet you subscribe to, or pick up all those informative magazines like the national Inquirer and such,,
You do believe that don’t you,,that’s why your hiding,,,got your number and its odd,,,,
I am also wondering about the strip club. I have 1200 bucks burning a hole in my pocket. I don’t care if they wear masks as long as their tits are out.