Dine-in restaurants, fastfood allowed in MGCQ
Published Jun 1, 2020 12:00 am
By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat
Dine-in restaurants and fastfood establishments are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity in areas under modified general community quarantine (MCGQ) but with minimum protocols, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). For establishments in National Capital Region, they will be allowed to operate once Metro Manila enters the MGCQ status by June 16.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved minimum health protocol that dine-in restaurants and fastfood chains must implement and observe prior to their reopening in two weeks’ time with the easing of restrictions and movement for areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) status.
Lopez emphasized that these guidelines shall be on top of the DTI-Department of Labor and Employment Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-19 dated April 30, 2020, as well as the Good Manufacturing Practices in restaurants and fastfood establishments.
“Dine-in restaurants and fastfood establishments need to comply with these health standards to operate. This will be the new normal,” said Lopez. Buffet and self-service areas for food bars, condiments and utensils remained banned.
The minimum health and safety requirements are:
Information materials
Information materials must be posted at the entrance, other prominent or conspicuous areas on the enforcement of:
1. No mask no entry policy.
2. Social distancing.
3. Maximum number of allowable persons.
4. Regular sanitation every 10 minutes interval.
5. Available mode of payment.
6. Ordering and picking-up of orders.
Required at entrance
Establishments are required to put in place:
1. Floor mat or foot bath with disinfectant, unless other entrances leading to the dine-in restaurants have already provided this.
2. Queuing area, with a roving officer for compliance with social distancing of one meter between persons.
3. Face masks are worn.
4. Calibrated thermal scanner for temperature reading
5. Rubbing alcohol that can be easily sprayed on the hands.
6. Health checklist for customers to fill-up.
Mandatory inside restaurant
There is also a mandatory installation of equipment and system at the workplace such as:
1. Properly sanitized tables and chairs.
2. Distancing of tables and chairs to at least one meter apart on all sides.
3. Face-to-face seating allowed only with proper dividers.
4. Visible floor markings for guidance of clients in queuing, preferably color-coded.
5. Proper ventilation in the establishment.
6. Visibility and accessibility of sanitizing equipment and tools.
7. Provision of food menus per table.
8. Contactless order-taking.
9. Cover pieces of furniture of porous materials in plastic for ease of sanitation.
10. Personal effects of personnel in plastic bags and stored in an area inaccessible to clients.
11. Clean trash bins for used papers and used tissue.
12. Clean washrooms and toilets with sufficient soap, water and tissue and toilet paper.
13. Disinfection of high risk areas such as order and bar counters, every 30 minutes.
Dine-in order protocols
1. For counter menus, counter calls the assigned number, immediately takes customer’s order/s, receive payment, sanitize hands and advise customer to sanitize hands and to wait for order at their assigned table.
2. For single-use table menus, upon entry, customers shall be escorted to assigned table with corresponding number, who will select order by checking choices in the menu placed on the table.
3. For non-single use menu, upon entry, shall be escorted to assigned table with corresponding number, who will select orders from the menu placed on the table; both customer/s and server sanitizes hands after placing order and/or payment. Payment to server after confirming orders is encouraged.
4. Workers must also be grouped according to task to reduce transmission throughout the workplace in the event one of them becomes ill.
Kitchen protocols
1. Directional arrows on the kitchen floor must be installed to control flow of traffic and reduce interaction between cooking and clearing area.
2. Wearing of mask is a must and avoid unnecessary conversations among workers.
3. Sanitation for high touch equipment must be done regularly.
Health and safety
1. There must be no work for personnel with COVID-19 symptoms, or with exposure to COVID-19 patients. 2. Workers are not allowed to wear of pieces of jewelry and must observe proper personal hygiene.
3. Mandatory wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as, but not limited to face mask, face shield, gloves, and hair cap. Workers must also wear closed shoes.
4. Whenever delivery is applicable, order taking must be done through phone calls, emails and any online mode.
5. Establishments must implement staggered start times for food delivery drivers to prevent crowding at dispatch locations, assign drop off sites.
6. Adoption of online confirmation and mandatory sanitation for delivery vehicles and mask protocols for drivers.
7. The Manager on Duty shall ensure compliance of all customers and personnel inside the restaurant or fastfood establishment with the minimum public health standards.
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved minimum health protocol that dine-in restaurants and fastfood chains must implement and observe prior to their reopening in two weeks’ time with the easing of restrictions and movement for areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) status.
Lopez emphasized that these guidelines shall be on top of the DTI-Department of Labor and Employment Interim Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of COVID-19 dated April 30, 2020, as well as the Good Manufacturing Practices in restaurants and fastfood establishments.
“Dine-in restaurants and fastfood establishments need to comply with these health standards to operate. This will be the new normal,” said Lopez. Buffet and self-service areas for food bars, condiments and utensils remained banned.
The minimum health and safety requirements are:
Information materials
Information materials must be posted at the entrance, other prominent or conspicuous areas on the enforcement of:
1. No mask no entry policy.
2. Social distancing.
3. Maximum number of allowable persons.
4. Regular sanitation every 10 minutes interval.
5. Available mode of payment.
6. Ordering and picking-up of orders.
Required at entrance
Establishments are required to put in place:
1. Floor mat or foot bath with disinfectant, unless other entrances leading to the dine-in restaurants have already provided this.
2. Queuing area, with a roving officer for compliance with social distancing of one meter between persons.
3. Face masks are worn.
4. Calibrated thermal scanner for temperature reading
5. Rubbing alcohol that can be easily sprayed on the hands.
6. Health checklist for customers to fill-up.
Mandatory inside restaurant
There is also a mandatory installation of equipment and system at the workplace such as:
1. Properly sanitized tables and chairs.
2. Distancing of tables and chairs to at least one meter apart on all sides.
3. Face-to-face seating allowed only with proper dividers.
4. Visible floor markings for guidance of clients in queuing, preferably color-coded.
5. Proper ventilation in the establishment.
6. Visibility and accessibility of sanitizing equipment and tools.
7. Provision of food menus per table.
8. Contactless order-taking.
9. Cover pieces of furniture of porous materials in plastic for ease of sanitation.
10. Personal effects of personnel in plastic bags and stored in an area inaccessible to clients.
11. Clean trash bins for used papers and used tissue.
12. Clean washrooms and toilets with sufficient soap, water and tissue and toilet paper.
13. Disinfection of high risk areas such as order and bar counters, every 30 minutes.
Dine-in order protocols
1. For counter menus, counter calls the assigned number, immediately takes customer’s order/s, receive payment, sanitize hands and advise customer to sanitize hands and to wait for order at their assigned table.
2. For single-use table menus, upon entry, customers shall be escorted to assigned table with corresponding number, who will select order by checking choices in the menu placed on the table.
3. For non-single use menu, upon entry, shall be escorted to assigned table with corresponding number, who will select orders from the menu placed on the table; both customer/s and server sanitizes hands after placing order and/or payment. Payment to server after confirming orders is encouraged.
4. Workers must also be grouped according to task to reduce transmission throughout the workplace in the event one of them becomes ill.
Kitchen protocols
1. Directional arrows on the kitchen floor must be installed to control flow of traffic and reduce interaction between cooking and clearing area.
2. Wearing of mask is a must and avoid unnecessary conversations among workers.
3. Sanitation for high touch equipment must be done regularly.
Health and safety
1. There must be no work for personnel with COVID-19 symptoms, or with exposure to COVID-19 patients. 2. Workers are not allowed to wear of pieces of jewelry and must observe proper personal hygiene.
3. Mandatory wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as, but not limited to face mask, face shield, gloves, and hair cap. Workers must also wear closed shoes.
4. Whenever delivery is applicable, order taking must be done through phone calls, emails and any online mode.
5. Establishments must implement staggered start times for food delivery drivers to prevent crowding at dispatch locations, assign drop off sites.
6. Adoption of online confirmation and mandatory sanitation for delivery vehicles and mask protocols for drivers.
7. The Manager on Duty shall ensure compliance of all customers and personnel inside the restaurant or fastfood establishment with the minimum public health standards.