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SAMPLE COVID-19 REOPENING PROCEDURES CHECKLIST
RESTAURANTS AND BARS
WINERY/BREWERY/DISTILLERY TASTING FACILITIES
Business Name:
Facility Address:
T
his sample reopening procedures checklist was developed to assist food and beverage facility operators to
prepare their COVID-19 operating protocols and procedures. Employees shall also be trained and a person in
charge designated to ensure the procedures are followed on a day to day basis. Please visit
www.emergencyslo.org/reopen
for information regarding the reopening process and industry guidance.
A.
Individual Control Measures and Screening:
Signage
Signage at each public entrance and in reservation confirmations to remind patrons they should not
enter the facility if they are sick with COVID-19 symptoms, use face coverings when not eating or
drinking, practice social distancing, wash hands with soap and water, and use hand sanitizer.
Face Coverings and other Personal Protective Equipment
Implement use of face coverings in accordance with California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
guidance.
Workers should have face coverings provided if required to wear them.
Communicate to patrons that they should use face coverings when not eating or drinking in
accordance with CDPH guidelines.
Consider making face coverings available for customers who arrive without them. People exempt
from wearing face coverings, and babies and children under the age of two, should not wear face
coverings in accordance with CDPH and CDC guidelines.
Provide disposable gloves to staff handling dirty dishes and impermeable aprons and eye and face
protection to dishwashers. Change and/or disinfect frequently.
Provide disposable gloves to workers conducting symptom screening or using cleaners and
disinfectants if required.
COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO | PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT | ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
2156 Sierra Way, Ste B | San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 | www.slopublichealth.org/ehs | 805-781-5544 | ehs@co.slo.ca.us
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Health and Sanitary Practices
All employees have been told not to come to work if sick. Monitor employee temperature and health
at the beginning of each shift for COVID-19 symptoms or verify self-screening before coming to work
according to CDC guidelines.
Guests and visitors should be screened for symptoms upon arrival and asked to use hand sanitizer.
Encourage frequent handwashing and use of hand sanitizer.
B.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocols:
Disinfect High Touch and High Use Areas
Perform thorough cleaning in high traffic areas (i.e., waiting areas, break rooms, entry ways, handrails,
elevator controls, etc.) on the following schedule:
Frequently disinfect commonly used surfaces and surfaces touched by patrons (i.e., door handles, light
switches, waiting area chairs, credit card terminals, restrooms, toilet facility fixtures, etc.) on the
following schedule:
Clean touchable surfaces used by employees between shifts or between users, whichever is more
frequent (i.e. working surfaces, phones, registers, touch screens, time clocks, kitchen and bar utensils,
etc.) on the following schedule:
Disinfecting Products and Sanitary Supplies
Equip spaces such as dining rooms, bar areas, host stands, and kitchens with proper sanitation
products, including hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes and ensure availability.
Ensure that sanitary facilities always stay operational and stocked with soap, paper towels and warm
water.
Provide hand sanitizer (using touchless dispensers if possible) at guest and employee entrances and
contact areas at the following locations:
Install hands-free devices, such as hand sanitizer and soap dispensers, if possible.
Use products approved for use against COVID-19 on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-
approved list and follow product instructions and Cal/OSHA requirements.
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Cleaning and Disinfecting Practices
Continue following California Retail Food Code requirements for cleaning and sanitizing food contact
surfaces.
Provide time for workers to implement cleaning practices during shifts.
Remove dirty linens from dining tables from dining areas in sealed bags.
Thoroughly clean each customer dining location after each use. Discard disposable seat or pillow
covers after each use.
Ventilation
Consider upgrades to improve air filtration and ventilation.
Increase fresh air circulation by opening windows or doors if possible and in accordance with security
and health and safety standards for vermin exclusion.
Customer Service Areas
Provide disposable, digitally available, or other low touch menus. If not available, disinfect menus,
order numbers, etc. before and after each customer.
Do not preset tables. Provide table settings (napkins, cutlery, glassware, etc.) to customers only as
needed.
Supply shared condiments only as needed or supply single serve containers.
Pre-roll utensils in napkins prior to use by customers and store in a clean container.
Provide takeout containers as needed and ask customers to pack their own leftovers.
Do not leave out mints, candies, snacks, and toothpicks. Provide only as needed.
Close areas where customers congregate or touch food or food contact surfaces such as:
o Self-service areas with condiment or utensil caddies
o Self-service food, beverage, or ice dispensing machines
o Self-service buffets, salad and salsa bars and snack areas
Discontinue tableside food preparation.
C.
Physical Distancing Guidelines:
Patron Service Areas
Adjust maximum occupancy to limit the number of people inside in order to facilitate physical
distancing such as removing tables and chairs from dining areas, using visual cues to show they are
unavailable, and installing Plexiglas or other physical barriers to separate customers for tables/booths
that cannot be removed to separate customers. For outdoor seating, maintain physical distancing of
at least six feet.
Prioritize outdoor seating and curbside pickup. Be sure to comply with local laws and regulations.
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Encourage customer reservations.
Ask customers to wait in their cars away from the establishment and alert them that their table is
ready through their mobile phones. Avoid using “buzzers”.
Implement measures to physically separate workers and customers by at least six feet using measures
such as reconfiguring space, installing physical partitions or visual cues (e.g., floor markings, colored
tape, or signs to indicate to where people should stand).
Implement peak period queueing procedures, including a host to remind customers to practice
physical distancing.
Discontinue open seating. Show parties to their tables one party at a time.
Limit the number of patrons at a single table to a household unit or patrons who have asked to be
seated together.
Discontinue seating customers and/or groups at bar counters and sushi preparation bars, etc. when
they cannot maintain at least six feet of distancing from employee work areas/stations.
Discourage customers from ordering from the bar and instead usher guests directly to their table. If
customer must order from a bar, reconfigure space so that bartenders, other workers, and customers
can maintain at least six feet of distance from each other.
Adjust music volume so that employees can maintain distance from customers and hear orders.
Take-out and Delivery Practices
Provide takeout, delivery, and drive through options for customers.
Eliminate person to person contact for delivery of goods whenever possible. Designate drop off
locations away from high traffic areas and maintain physical distance from delivery drivers.
Use contactless pick-up and delivery protocols to provide takeout food.
Employee Work Areas/Stations
Install physical barrier or partitions at workstations such as cash registers and host stands where
physical distancing is difficult.
Establish one-way directional passageways for foot traffic, if possible, to eliminate employees from
passing one another.
Adjust in-person meetings, if they are necessary, to ensure physical distancing.
Stagger employee breaks, in compliance with wage and hour regulations, if needed.
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Reconfigure, restrict, or close common areas, like employee break rooms, provide alternative where
physical distancing can be practiced, and discourage employees from congregating in high traffic
areas.
Reconfigure kitchens to maintain physical distancing in those areas where practical, and if not
practical, stagger shifts if possible, to do work ahead of time.
Close or increase distance between tables/chairs in breakrooms or provide break areas in open space
to ensure physical distancing.
D.
Additional Considerations for Bars:
Discontinue activities that encourage movement and shared items between guests including karaoke
singing, open mic performances, trivia activities, mixers, pub crawls, etc.
Discontinue services and activities that carry an increased risk of contamination from sharing and
splashing and such as drinking games and/or contests, drop shots, etc.
Consider limiting excessive consumption of alcohol that could deter guests’ compliance with these
guidelines.
Close dance floors and discontinue performances such as musical or dance acts that encourage large
gatherings.
E.
Additional Considerations for Winery/Brewery/Distillery Tasting Facilities:
Provide a clean glass for each tasting and, if possible, do not pour beverages into a glass that a
customer has already used (smelled, tasted from, etc.)
Discontinue the use of communal dump buckets, spit buckets, spittoons, etc. Provide individual,
disposable cups to each guest instead to avoid splash contamination between guests.
Do not touch beverage container necks to cups, glasses, etc., when pouring wine, beer, or spirits.
Take measures to ensure that tasting group appointment times do not overlap to minimize interaction
of people from different groups and places.
Discontinue tours that combine individuals from different households into the same tour group. Tour
guides must maintain at least six feet of physical distance from customers/visitors.
F.
Additional Measures:
Additional measures not included above:
Copies of this checklist have been posted in a conspicuous place and are provided to all employees.
Contact the following person with any questions or comments about this protocol:
Name: Phone Number: Date: