Restaurants, bars and cafés have come up with novel ways of limiting the spread of the virus, trying to comply with government regulations whilst still getting customers back through the door.
Cleaning Regime
Restaurants have had to reassess how they clean their premises post lockdown. Places such McDonald's have created guides which include disinfecting 'high-touch' surfaces every 30 minutes, and creating lanes with signs so customers don't accidentally touch each other. More measures include self-closing self-service drink dispensers, cleaning digital kiosks after every order, and placing 'closed' signs on certain tables to maintain distance between customers.
Table Isolation
One of the main ways that restaurants have tried to distance their tables from each other is by employing barriers. Individual tables have been separated by perspex barriers, shower curtains and even greenhouses. These measures mean that there is a socially separate space leading to dining between friends, without the danger of infecting others. For ultimate separation, a company in the USA has created 'bumper tables' which are surrounded by a rubber ring and have no choice but to keep separate.
You're Not Alone
One downside of having fewer people in your dining room is the inevitable loss of atmosphere. To combat the dreaded 'empty restaurant feeling', some operators have installed fake diners at tables, to make the place seem full. We have seen everything from fashionably dressed mannequins to cardboards cutouts of guests sitting on seats. As well as the noice of chattering guests being piped through speakers.
To read the full menuwatching report regarding the reopening of restaurants, please visit the tfptrendhub here.