The year 2022 promises to be a time of rebuilding and reinvention.

While the threat of COVID-19 persists, restaurant and hospitality operators need creative ways to set their businesses for success for many months ahead while also navigating the pandemic.

The first order of the day is to run their F&B operations safely on top of also giving their guests a spectacular dining experience during this challenging period.

Here are some tips to help restaurants make guests feel comfortable and safe in their hands:

1. Follow necessary safety protocols

From regularly checking employees' health, promoting the use of masks among staff, and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, restaurants need to implement measures and follow their city's mandates at all times to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

In the TableCheck restaurant booking platform, restaurant owners can easily update the text to describe what safety protocols they are taking. See an example from The French Kitchen Grand Hyatt in Tokyo and Chinaroom.

2. Adjust indoor dining seating

The restaurant table layout should be rearranged to keep enough distance between guests. Outdoor space or open areas should be utilized whenever possible.

A simple way for guests and staff to follow social distancing protocols is to install directional signs all throughout the restaurant to encourage guests and staff to maintain a healthy distance.

3. Inform guests in advance

Restaurant safety protocols should be included on the website, social media platforms, and booking forms so that guests can feel reassured prior to their visit.

See how TableCheck's clients Charles H. from the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, South Korea, and La Madonna Bar and Restaurant in Melbourne, Australia used social media to remind guests about their commitment to safety.

4. Create a digital campaign around COVID-19 safety protocols

Restaurants can even go the extra mile to ensure the safety and well-being of their guests by creating a marketing campaign around their safe dining practices.

The Kempinski Hotels launched the Glove White Service as early as 2020 as part of its campaign to adopt global health and safety recommendations.

5. Go cashless

Going cashless is the future of business transactions more so in this time of COVID-19. By offering cashless transactions, restaurant owners can speed up payment transactions faster and checkout queues will move much more quickly while also reducing COVID-19 risk.

Find out more about TableCheck's "Contactless Pay" service (available in Japan).

6. Implement QR Code Menus

QR code menus have become more popular than ever during the time of COVID-19. It's safe, hygienic, and easy to use, and can help customers translate menus when it's written in another language. There's also another benefit: QR codes not only allow contactless payments but can also store data to track and analyze guest history. The data can be utilized for targeted marketing and increasing consumer retention rates.

Furthermore, QR code menus can cut labor costs up to 50% by eliminating the need for staff to take orders and payments, thereby reducing the spread of COVID-19.

7. Get a restaurant management platform

If you are still operating your business the old way, it’s time to modernize your reservation process. Implementing a restaurant management platform like TableCheck can help streamline your F&B operations, and manage table seating and queues while also keeping the safety of your staff and guests a top priority.

While restaurants still grapple with the challenges posed by COVID-19, those with strong safe dining practices have better chances of attracting guests back to their restaurants and driving back more revenue to their business.