Hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars in Maharashtra are reopening today at 50 per cent capacity. Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra has issued detailed guidelines that need to be followed by the F&B establishments across the state. These include:
- General guidelines such as thermal screening of customers at the entry point; social distancing while waiting for/offering service; mandatory use of face cover/masks and dispensing hand sanitisers in public areas among others.
- For contact tracing purpose, consent should be obtained from visitors for sharing their details with administrative and health authorities.
- Digital modes of payment should be encouraged.
- To limit interaction between customers and cashiers/ front of the house staff, government recommends the use of physical barriers such as plexiglass screens at counters; and setting up separate venue entry and exit points (if practical). CCTV cameras on the premises must be fully functional.
- Buffet service is not permitted and only cooked food to be included on the menu. Avoid inclusion of raw or cold food like salads as far as possible. Contactless menu through QR code recommended.
- Guests are encouraged to make prior reservations before going to the restaurants to avoid crowding. Complete details of guests need to be taken in advance by the staff and seating should be arranged accordingly.
- Live entertainment is prohibited. Vending and other game areas will remain shut.
- Appropriate health and hygiene norms need to be implemented across F&B production and service areas.
- Bar safety measures include sanitisation of counters and stools; bottles of spirits, wines and beers to be sanitised with food grade disinfectants.
- Training programmes need to be conducted to inform and educate staff about the safety protocols.
- For food delivery, the designated person should leave the package at customer’s door and not handover it directly.
Click here to view the official document that also covers standard operating procedures for garbage disposal, staff areas, transportation of employees and staff uniform.
