In hospitality
Over the past few months, we've missed connecting with friends, colleagues, and families over a cup of coffee in bars, restaurants, hotels and cafés. Fortunately, the hospitality industry is now making its grand return, and at JDE, our priority is to help you prepare for restarting in the "new normal".
Below are some tips to ensure that you can safely welcome your guests back to your business.
Start up your coffee machine
View our tips for starting up your coffee machine - this prevents malfunctions, and also ensure you start off with a perfect cup of coffee. Can't figure it out? We're here to help.
Order your ingredients on time
Ensure you order your ingredients on time via your usual ordering process. Due to our delivery partners working at maximum capacity, orders may take longer than you are used to. Also, ensure you check the expiration date on your current stock of ingredients to ensure you are able to provide a quality cup of coffee.
Preparations for the restart
Ahead of restarting your business, you can already make some preparations in order to welcome back your guests in the safest way possible:
- Think carefully about the path of your customers through your business. Clear indications of routes on the floor (both inside and outside) will ensure your guests do not unnecessarily come into contact with each other. Make sure that there is always one-way traffic and, where possible, a different coffee collection point for short-stay (take away) and long-stay (dine-in) guests.
- Make sure you have the facilities to allow your guests to pay contactlessly. If guests have to pay at a till, make sure you can guarantee a safe distance of over 1m. You can make this easier by placing a protective screen, such as plexiglass, in front of the cash register.
- Make sure you have enough soap and disinfectant gel available for your guests and staff.
- Remove trays, containers, or baskets from the tables and counter-tops. For example, remove the napkins, milk pots, stirrers and sugar bowls. Have the barista add these items to the serving tray, or include them with a take-away drink. Any sugar packets, packaged biscuits, e.t.c. that have not been used by the guest should be discarded.
Clear communication
Make sure you use clear communication to let your guests know what the rules are in your business. Take time to review this communication with your staff and ensure they are comfortable working in this environment. Communicate in different ways, for example, with pavement signs, table cards, and posters. Make sure that the rules are emphasised again in important places, such as the entrance, payment point, and toilets.
Life in the new normal
Hygiene guidelines for making a cup of coffee
In order to continue enjoying a cup of coffee together, we have reviewed the most important guidelines for making a cup of coffee safely. We've put together the tips below to help you ensure the safety of you, your colleagues, and your guests:
- Designate one barista to reduce the number of people operating the coffee machine. Agree good communication about health and possible COVID symptoms.
- The designated barista should regularly clean all surfaces and handles with a disinfectant wipe. The barista can also choose to work with gloves, but they should be regularly replaced, or disinfected with a hand foam. The use of gloves helps prevent dry and chapped hands through frequent hand washing after preparing an order. See the NHS hand washing guidelines here.
- If a guest wants extra sugar, or milk, this must be noted when taking the order so that the barista can serve it along with the coffee.
- Try to include as many prepackaged products as possible so that contact with products is kept to a minimum. Think about prepackaged biscuits that can be given along with the coffee by the barista.
- If you order combination deals, for example, a cup of coffee with a piece of cake, the staff should ensure that they prepare the products as much as possible using just a serving spoon, or gloves. Avoid hand contact with all food products.
- Any packaged goods that have not been used by the guest should be discarded.
Refilling and cleaning the coffee machine
For cleaning and using the coffee machine, the advice is:
- Before refilling or cleaning the machine, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, or use a disinfectant gel or foam.
- Avoid contact with the ingredients by filling the coffee into the grinder or machine directly from the packaging.
- Regularly disinfect and clean the surgaced of the coffee machines. Do this more often than usual
You can read the NHS's handwashing guidelines here.
Strategic approach
Reservations
Encourage that guests book as much in advance as possible. If you don't currently have a booking system in place, investigate how you can make this possible. This gives you the ability to regulate your occupation rate to ensure the safety of your guests and staff.
Seating
Designate a host/hostess who can seat guest, show them the route through your business, and inform them about the measures you are taking to ensure a 1m distance. It is also possible to look at how you can desginate seating areas for different guests, for example, families with children together, the elderly together, and young adults together.
Ordering and serving
Consider the current process for ordering and serving drinks. Ordering could potentially be done via an app, or even a tick-off menu. Serving can be done at a central delivery point or on a serving column next to each table, where guests can take their food and drinks from the tray themselves.
If you have a question about the advice above, please get in touch with us via our contact page.
Additional tips
Menu card
Think about the order and composition of your menu card. Put the high-margin products at the top, such as the coffee specials, so there is a greater chance they will be chosen. You can also tempt your guests to buyu more by offering combination deals. Many guests may be willing to support you during this difficult time and may be open to purchasing more than usual. Especially since after months of lockdown, everyone is ready to treat themselves!
To-Go
If you don't currently offer a to-go option, but have the possiblity, consider adding this to your business. This allows you to attract a new target group and generate some extra revenue. Provide a clear path for your to-go guests, so they do not unnecessarily come into contact with your other guests.
Tip: If you offer each drink in three sizes, your guests will tend to go for the middle size.