Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants were already operating on thin margins. Now, restaurateurs are having to make painful decisions on whether to operate at reduced capacity, go entirely take-out, or close completely. Larry Lynch is the Senior Vice President of Certifications and Operations for the National Restaurant Association and has been on calls with the government officials that are making policy decisions.

In our first episode of Order Up, Larry joined Helen Jane to discuss how social distancing is impacting restaurants and what protocols are being discussed as states slowly begin to reopen. Larry talks about everything from new sanitation practices to face coverings and makes the case for restaurants to get creative.

Check out the episode and listen every Friday as Order Up helps restaurants navigate the recovery effort.

• [00:46] - Interview with Larry Lynch
• [01:14] - Restaurant reopenings
• [04:04] - How is hygiene evolving?
• [07:02] - Customer comfort
• [09:38] - Sponsor: ServSafe
• [09:57] - State-by-state opening
• [11:30] - Getting ready to reopen
• [13:16] - How delivery affects food safety
• [15:08] - Government friends
• [16:04] - Success factors
• [17:40] - Hoping it all works
• [19:29] - Sponsor: ServSafe

The restaurant landscape has changed drastically in the last few months. To help restaurateurs navigate the impossible decisions they will have to make in the months to come, Order Up, is a brand-new podcast from the National Restaurant Association dedicated to aid in the recovery of restaurants and their employees.

Informed by the latest data, each Friday we’ll share conversations about the recovery ahead of us. You’ll leave with an understanding of the current industry issues, insights, and best practices. Subscribe today or visit us at restaurant.org/podcasts.

If you'd like to receive new episodes as they're published, please subscribe to Order Up in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. It really helps others find the show.

This podcast episode was produced by Dante32.