BRITISH COLUMBIA – Effective at midnight tonight (March 29) all restaurants must close for INDOOR dining. Patios are allowed as well as is take-out. We (BCRFA) are linking below some of our documents that we created previously to help with take-away, marketing, etc as refreshers to help ensure your business survival.
Changes are effective tonight at midnight (March 29) through to April 19th.
Note that Dr. Henry made a point of complimenting our industry and stressed that the issues arising have been with staff not guests. These protocols are being put in place to minimize in person gatherings indoors, as well as to address the skyrocketing case numbers and hospitalizations as we are now in our third wave of this pandemic.
Some BCRFA tips to maximize take-away and delivery and adjust as we head into Easter weekend.
1. Create family style dining menus for pick-up
2. Create a package that includes wine and cocktail packages
3. Create an Easter dinner package that is all prepped and guests will cook at home
4. Add chocolate Easter themed gifts/eggs to packages for families
5. Create picnic basket style dining for those families that will be gathering outdoors to meet in a park for Easter
6. Work with your local food delivery and increase your dining menu
7. Update your website with take-away ordering menus as people move from reservations to dining at home
8. Get your patios up and running and move reservations outside
You can view and download off of the BCRFA website here: RESOURCES.
Guides include:
COVID-19 Restaurant Marketing
The Next Pivot: Preparing to maximize take away this fall/winter
Frequently Asked Questions: Patio Extensions
Physical Distancing and Patios
Other changes made today include:
– In-Person religious services suspended
– Outdoor gatherings to one small group within your immediate contact group to a maximum of 10 (think: 3-4 of close friends, 2 families, immediate household). This needs to be the same 10 people, and even if cold and snowy you must stay outside
– As much as possible work from home
– Travel not allowed outside of your local area (reminder)
– Fitness Facilities and Group Fitness outdoors or one-on-one indoors
The Provincial Government indicated that they will be ramping up vaccines in order to get as many people and the immunization program up and going. Their goal is to focus on managing outbreak as much as possible businesses affected by the outbreak.
Reminder that if you are a BCRFA member that they are available to you 24/7 please contact us at 604-669-2239 to speak to a member of our team if you need assistance.
