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COVID-19

BentoBox Launches Reopening Guide for Restaurants

May 15, 2020

Introducing a three-section guide for U.S. restaurants reopening on how to effectively train staff, prep space and market.

We’re excited to announce the restaurant reopening guide. As restaurants begin reopening their doors and seating their guests, it’s important to understand what the process of reopening looks like and how to start. BentoBox has been there every step of the way to provide real-time information and helpful, actionable tips on navigating restaurant life during COVID-19. We polled diners, restaurant peers and industry experts to put together an in-depth guide for restaurants who are reopening during COVID-19.

This guide provides information that restaurants can use to update their guests through email, social media channels, and their restaurant website. Restaurants will learn how to reorganize their space for social distancing and to train their staff with tech tools that make restaurant life easier.

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Restaurant Reopening Guide

An actionable guide to reopening your restaurant.

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Communication With Guests

As restaurants are navigating the next steps to reopening, their guests are monitoring their status. Communication is key, especially for on-premise operations and procedures concerning health and safety. There are three places messaging will be vital for restaurants to focus on: their website, social media and email.

During COVID-19, guests are getting information straight from the restaurant and the restaurant’s website serves as the best vehicle for it. Social media is also an important channel for reopening restaurants, especially as a marketing tool. All while emails are vital to get quick, up-to-date information to a restaurant’s most avid followers. Learn more about how restaurants can effectively communicate with their guests about on-premise operations in part one of our reopening guide.

Restaurant Operations

The interior of a restaurant with tables and chairs.

Guests are eager to reoccupy the spaces that bring them joy and community. However, health and safety expectations call for changes to a restaurant’s operations and dining-room design. Several measures will help restaurants transition as restrictions are lifted. Online ordering is an important revenue stream as reopening guidelines will limit the number of dine-in guests.

When it comes to the physical space of the restaurant, a series of adjustments will be needed in order to comply with city and state regulations or guidelines. Read about more ways that restaurants can optimize their space as they begin the process of reopening in part two of our guide.

Staff Training

a group of people sitting at a table using a laptop computer

Ahead of reopening, restaurants will need to follow local city and state guidelines as well as those of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). This information will be key to how restaurant operations and procedures will need to be followed and implemented on a daily basis with their staff. For a seamless and issue-free reopening process, restaurants will need to provide quality training for their staff that adheres to regulations and government mandates. The health and safety of staff members come first. A few ways to ensure that staff members are able to work is by investing in technology. Read more about technology and staff training in part three of our guide.

Moving Forward

COVID-19 has greatly affected the world and the restaurant community has been forced to adapt in a way that is unprecedented. Together, restaurant operators, technology providers, government, and guests will create a new normal. And we will be stronger for it, connecting in ways that we never have before. Guests are at home, craving to return to the places and people they love. Restaurants will be there to provide the food and atmosphere that keeps their community and culture alive.