TORONTO — The Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA) has developed DineSafe, which offers best practices to help guide safe and successful re-openings for restaurant and foodservice operators.
ORHMA has been working closely with industry leaders, government agencies, technology experts, legal advisors and key supply partners to produce the guide, which focuses on processes that protect staff and guests and exceed health-and-safety expectations. The guide — aimed at provided the roadmap to restaurant recovery — offers recommendations to help operators design safe, welcoming spaces that inspire public trust so the industry can not only survive, but thrive.
This practical guide to re-opening is organized in the flow of a typical guest experience and outlines required and desired health-and-safety deliverables, as well as elements operators should consider for their particular operations.
ORHMA is also in the process of developing a significant resource guide for both restaurants and lodging for products, services and support operators will need to transition to a new approach to operations.
“We are currently in discussions with the province about the potential of securing their support in launching the DineSafe brand as a public awareness and confidence campaign to help the industry more quickly build trust and recover,” says ORHMA president and CEO, Tony Elenis. “While currently in preliminary considerations, we’re hopeful that an industry-leading program could result.”
Recognizing the situation is quickly evolving, ORHMA is continuing to collaborate with the province of Ontario, as well as other industry suppliers and specialists, and will continue to provide the industry with updated tools and resources. “On behalf of the ORHMA team and Board of Directors, the hospitality industry should know we’re here to assist in any way we can” adds Elenis.