This Week in Hospitality: June 2020 Week 4
It’s the last week of June, and every state in the nation has allowed restaurants to welcome diners back in some capacity or another. It’s time to celebrate with my top five industry articles this week.
1. Literally the least you could do
Photo Credit: Eater
A poignant op-ed from Eater Houston this week highlights the issues restaurants in Texas are currently facing as they try to enforce mask-wearing rules, and it’s disgusting. Earlier this week the state of Texas made it mandatory for all restaurant-goers and staff members to wear a mask until they are eating and drinking. The burden has now been placed on restaurant workers to police the public who refuse to wear masks.
How grown adults can be so rude and so selfish is beyond me. These restaurants opened and brought their staff back under risky circumstances, and literally the least you can do as customers is to wear a freaking mask. Stop being a baby, and wear a mask. Or, more effectively, if you want to whine about it, just stay home. That was my rant for the week, thanks for listening.
2. Reopening to reopen again
Photo Credit: Eater
To follow on the footsteps of that last article, you know, the one that made me burn with rage, is another post from Eater. This one talks about how restaurants across the country are being forced to shut back down because their workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
We may think that we’re getting back to “normal” but that’s just not the case. Cities that opened restaurants back up too soon are now seeing spikes in cases and restaurant closing. These closings and reopenings come at a huge cost to industry workers, many of whom have had to weigh the risk of getting sick against receiving a steady paycheck.
It just goes to show that we must obey the rules, wear masks, and don’t go out if we feel sick or if someone close to us feels sick. Otherwise, that feeling of normalcy we’re all starting to enjoy again is going to be pulled out from underneath us in a flash.
3. Redefining social distancing
Photo Credit: Embassy Suites by Hilton/Hospitality Technology
As hotels begin to reopen for business again, some have gotten quite creative in the ways they enforce social distancing regulations. Hospitality Technology reported this week that four hotels in California have started to use robots instead of live people to provide contactless amenities. Just ring the front desk, ask for an extra pillow, and a 3 foot tall social distancing robot ambassador will deliver it to your room. It’s the future of hospitality.
4. A safe return
Photo Credit: National Restaurant Association
The National Restaurant Association released a useful article this week that outlines best practices for welcoming your staff back. With cases of COVID-19 still on the rise in some regions, it’s super important to let your staff and customers know you’re doing everything you possibly can to keep them safe.
5. Pizza to the rescue!
Photo Credit: Domino’s
This last one is just for fun and the love of pizza. Cancelled or postponed your wedding due to COVID-19? Drown your sorrows in pizza and I’m sure you’ll feel better in no time. Just ask Domino’s. They’ve created a wedding registry specifically for couples who had to furlough their big day. You can read about it, and maybe even create your own, here.
More resources
The whole hospitality industry is in a tough time right now, but we are coming together to support one another until the storm passes. As people hunker down in their homes for the next indefinite period of time, look at these ideas for inspiration to bring joy to your loyal customers and provide work for your employees. To stay up to date on our latest recommendations for event professionals during this time, click here for our latest blog posts, check out our Two Chicks, Three Seats podcast, and view the recordings of our weekly Social Hour virtual roundtables.