Ways to help Support Local via James Beard Foundation and Forbes
In this stressful time of COVID-19, supporting local food and beverage establishments is critical to the economy and well-being of our city. Many have started to announce they are closing until further notice for the health and safety of employees and patrons. That includes restaurants, hotels, coffee shops and the smaller local markets, and specialty food stores. Many of them are owned or run by our personal friends and rely on daily patrons to survive. Some suggestions from James Beard Foundation and Forbes. #SupportLocal
A Letter from the James Beard Foundation:
The James Beard Foundation is acutely aware of the health and safety concerns surrounding the current COVID-19 pandemic. We are also mindful of how this virus is negatively impacting the hospitality industry at large, both from a well-being and economic standpoint. Novel coronavirus COVID-19 is pushing the restaurant industry to think creatively as travel bans are put into place, cities cancel conventions, and events are postponed until the summer. It’s been great to see the open sharing of information by chefs and restaurateurs with each other and the transparency with customers about expanded health and safety measures.
Some of the measures we’re seeing chefs around the country implement are:
• Increased hand washing, sanitizing, and glove use by staff
• Asking employees to stay home in the event of fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, in some cases mandating up to a week at home
• Asking employees to avoid others who may be ill
• 3X daily disinfection of all kitchen surfaces, equipment, doors, bathrooms, customer surfaces (tables and chairs), and other high-touch areas
• HOURLY mandatory handwashing breaks
• Thermometers provided to each restaurant location to check for fever of any employee who seems sick
• Hand sanitizer or wipes available at reservation station for guests as they check in
• Paper towels offered in restrooms and for wiping tables
• Moving or removing tables to expand space between tables and customers
In addition, to reduce waste and costs, we’re seeing restaurants keeping food purchases to a minimum by removing specials and creating limited menus.
Other Ways to Support the Industry
Many restaurants have been sending emails or posting on social media about the extra precautions they’re taking to make restaurants as safe to eat in as possible, but there are also other ways to support restaurants:
• Gift cards: consider buying a gift card (or cards). Doing so potentially gives a restaurant immediate income and the gift certificate can be redeemed at a later date.
• Delivery: consider ordering delivery. It's not risk-free, and most delivery companies take a cut of the cost of the meal, but it's a way to patronize your favorite restaurant without leaving your house.
• Stock up strategically: fill your refrigerator and pantry with supplies from small businesses or restaurant-markets, in addition to grocery stores.
For more up to the date info on measures being taken including locations for local testing centers and city by city restrictions please visit:
https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/how-the-restaurant-industry-is-responding-to-covid-19
From Forbes:
1) Go out and eat. The restaurant industry has been galvanized into taking steps to make their dining rooms, restrooms and kitchens the cleanest that they’ve ever been. We know that the coronavirus spreads in two ways: from surface contact, and from airborne transmission. At least when it comes to surface contact, you can be pretty sure that your place is wiping down as much as it can. Likewise, smaller crowds mean less chance that you’ll catch an infection that way, even though there are no guarantees. Of course, some states are banning assemblies of larger groups, which might affect whether your favorite is open. But, if you are comfortable leaving the house, and they are welcoming customers, go have a good meal.
2) Honor reservations. The worst thing you can do right now is book a table and then change your mind and not show up. It’s always a bad idea but in this environment, it will really play havoc with their staff and inventory planning. NOTE: Check your Open Table/Resy reservations to see what you may have booked in advance and make sure you cancel if you expect to not go or reduce the number in your party. Likewise, it’s truly bad form to make multiple reservations and then choose from one at the last minute. You’ll simply make a number of places unhappy. “Don’t ‘ghost,’” Chef Rick Bayless said in his email to customers. “We kindly ask that if you choose not to join us for your reservation, please inform us in advance. It’s OK!”
3) Opt for carryout or delivery. On its Instagram account Friday, Saba in New Orleans launched a curbside delivery service. Many other restaurants have offered them, or have pick up areas where you can dash in, get your food and leave. It’s a better deal for restaurants if you collect carry out yourself, rather than use a delivery app. That helps the restaurant — and you — avoid delivery charges.
But if you don’t feel like driving over, delivery is your back up choice. Be sure to tip your delivery person.
4) Buy gift cards and merchandise. Restaurants collect gift card revenue as soon as the card is purchased, then mark it as redeemed once the user applies it to a bill. If you are in a position to buy a gift card and sit on it for a while, you will be helping your local favorite get through a tough time.
Likewise, merchandise can be big profits for restaurants and smaller local markets. They make money on t-shirts, cookbooks, mugs, water bottles, and the like. They’re walking advertisements, too, and they show that you’re lending your favorite place a hand.
Please contact us if you have more suggestions or are a restaurant that will be offering curbside pick up.
We will make it through this. #MiamiStrong