With this guide we have made 7 good tips for you and your restaurant, café, canteen, grill or other eatery. Take this help as a contribution to you and your eatery through this challenging corona situation.
We hope this guide will contribute to a new perspective, create inspiration and positive thoughts despite a difficult time.
Local restaurants and cafes are now closed to the general public, many workplaces are almost empty and city events are canceled or postponed. The world is currently standing still, and of course this creates great challenges for the whole community. This is especially true for restaurants, cafes, hotels and other eateries in Europe and the rest of the world.
We want to help as many people as possible in the foodservice industry, and at the same time encourage the dining places to follow the health conditions in order to reduce the spread and transmission of Coronavirus. 
This guide is also an invitation to all citizens to support all local eateries by buying take-away at least once a week.
We need to take care and help each other during this time.
1) Help and support each other: Cooperation is important
We are all in the same boat and every cooperation has been hit in it's own way. That is why we may as well help each other to find proactive solutions together, during this difficult time, so that the food industry can get back on it's feet again.
Together we are strong - so collaborate with other businesses if necessary. Get in contact with your local supermarket, team up with other cafes or restaurants to get the message out so that we can keep as much business going as possible.
Seek new possibilities - If there is a bakery nearby that has plenty of bread, maybe you can provide the other ingredients to make a sandwich? Or how about selling goodiebags from your eatery in the nearest supermarket? Contact them today and find a proactive solution together!
2) Follow the government's restrictions and advice
Stay home as much as possible and limit exit and entrance to the kitchen. Generally, everyone is encouraged to stay home, so only go out if you really need to. For example if you need to go to the supermarket or the pharmacy.
The rules are simple (In Denmark):
1) Wash hands and sanitize frequently
2) Keep your distance to other people
3) Cough or sneeze in your sleeve
4) Max 10 people together in a group (In Denmark)
Follow your country's safety precautions and the recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the National Food Authority, nothing is indicating that coronavirus is spreading through food, but make sure to maintain your good hygiene anyways.
The best weapon against Coronavirus
To avoid the risk of contamination in your kitchen and eating place, wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your face, keep your distance to other people, and make sure to clean all surfaces of your kitchens regularly.
Guide to wash your hands:
1) Rinse your hands in temperate / cold water
2) Apply the soap and make sure you distribute it everywhere: under nails, on palms, back of hand, thumb and in between your fingers and fingertips
3) Make sure the soap foams
4) Wash the soap off
3) Minimize costs - and try to generate revenue
It's all about minimizing the costs and, as far as possible, trying to generate some revenue but it takes great demands on you and your eatery. Try to keep calm and think both proactively and positively in this situation.
For example consider:
• Making new creative menus from the food supplies you have in your kitchen storage
• Other sales channels? Retail? Goodiebags via supermarkets?
• Selling by phone or social media
• Creating a fast webshop for take-away with help from a local developer
• Selling gift cards online to your dining place
• Offering other services - what do people need during this time?
4) Take-away or goodiebags can be the solution
Even though restaurants and other dining places are closed for the public around in the world, take-away is still an option! Many cafes, restaurants and local eateries that have not previously sold take-away have taken this opportunity. This has been a fantastic solution for many!
This concept has been met with a great deal of interest amongst the customers. So if you can introduce take-away at your place, then do it as soon as possible. Three good advice:
Use food with less durability
Use the products with the lowest durability to create your take-away menus. This will both minimize the costs and waste of food.
You can create a discount
If you are new in the take-away business a good option could be to create a discount. You can e.g. give your customers 10-20% on take-away orders, free delivery or create a special price on a set-menu. This will make the offer extra tempting on your new take-away menus
Keep it simple
Put together 1-5 different simple and delicious menus or take-away meals, and choose the ones that characterizes your restaurant, cafe and dining place the best.
Remember to follow the public health guidelines in your country to reduce the risk of contamination. Read more about it below.
5) Extra awareness of your take-away concept
Right now people spend more of their online on social media, so therefore we suggest that you use social media as Facebook, linkedin and instagram to promote your new take-away concept.
Take some delicious pictures of your menus and promote them through your social channels. Competitions on facebook can be a great way to kickstart the attention of your exciting new take-away menus.
Remember to put a positive spin on the situation and place the focus on how easy it is to order your delicious food e.g. for the people who is working from home.
You can also make collaborations with the different take-away companies in your area, who can deliver your food.
Again, gift cards can be another solution - if you do not have the option of take-away.
6) Minimizing the contamination risk among your guests
Also, make restrictions/rules for your take-away guests so that the risk of infection is reduced to a minimum. Make clear guidelines when guests pick up their take-away.
Put up a sign at the entrance asking guests to:
• Swab / wash hands at the door (if possible)
• keep distance to people in the line
• avoid giving each other a hand or unnecessary touch
• use contactless payment rather than cash payment
7) Sorting and storage of food supplies
Sorting products in your fridge and freezer can be a good idea and also an advantage. First, sort and use products with minimum durability, so you know which products to use first when creating your take-away menus.
Next week the menu can be renewed with other products, which will make for an exciting feature for your customers.
5 good storage tips:
1) Fruit lasts longest if stored in the fridge.
2) Vegetables can be packed in a plastic bag with selfmade small air holes in the bag
3) Do not store fresh meat at room temperature for more than two hours. Seal the packaging and make sure it is completely closed. Read The safe guide to thawing chicken
4) Don't re-freeze your products
5) Remember to rinse fruits and vegetables before use and putting in storage
We are ready to help, contact us!
If you have any questions about how to handle this Coronavirus situation, how to store your products, setup a take-away menu or whatever, please contact us.
Find inspiration for take-away menus or goodiebags in our other blog posts.