There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on Baltimore restaurants. Thankfully, the State of Maryland recently moved into a Stage Three reopening plan that allows diners to once again enjoy a meal in-person at their favorite establishment. Keep reading about the top regulations your business needs to pay attention to when reopening.

Employee Regulations

As a general guideline, all restaurant staff members are required to follow CDC recommendations for cleanliness and social distancing. This means wearing masks during shifts and all interactions with patrons. Additionally, those who exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone who tests positive for the virus should remain home and not complete their scheduled shift.

Physical Requirements Inside the Restaurant

There are also a number of different physical guidelines each restaurant should take to ensure the safety of patrons and staff members. While the complete list can be found here, a few of the highlights to know are:

• Soft Goods: When removing soft goods from a table, the items should be set aside for immediate laundering in warm or hot water.
• Table Settings: All utensils, napkins, condiments, etc. should be added to the table after the customer has been seated.
• No Buffets: All buffets and/or self-service dining options should not be offered at this time.
• Floor Plan Modifications: All floorplans and table arrangements must be modified to ensure patrons consistently maintain a minimum six-foot distance.
• Reservations System: Where available, restaurants should utilize a reservation system through phone, text message, or online capabilities to help prevent overcrowding.
• Mask Usage: All patrons and employees should wear masks when they are not actively eating or drinking. This includes all children over the age of five.

It is important to reiterate that this is not a complete list of all the various precautions required by the State of Maryland for Baltimore restaurant re-openings.

COVID-19 Maryland Restaurant Cleaning Precautions

Finally, it is important to highlight a few of the most important restaurant cleaning precautions suggested for all Maryland restaurants intent on reopening during Phase Three. The most important ones to know are:

• Disinfectant Availability: Customers must have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer, or other disinfectant through the use of stations throughout the restaurant facilities.
• Routine Cleaning Schedule: Restaurants must have a routine cleaning schedule and keep track of times in which common areas were disinfected.
• Communicate Open Dedication to Cleanliness: Restaurants are expected to communicate their dedication to facility cleanliness by posting compliance adherence to CDC guidelines.

Let Us Help with Your COVID-19 Deep Cleaning

Need a little extra help getting your restaurant ready for diners? Our Enviro-Master Services team is here to make the process as easy as possible. We’re knowledgeable on all of the varying facets of adhering to State of Maryland guidelines for Phase Three reopening. Furthermore, we can help ensure your facility is sparkling clean for patrons eager to come back after such a long hiatus with our variety of commercial cleaning services. Please give us a call today for further details on our COVID cleaning services.