COVID-19 Operating Guidance - A Guide for the Restaurant Industry - Updated July, 2021

Oct 2, 2026

Uploaded by lilac

Updated July, 2021 guidance for restaurant operators provides a structured framework to reopen and operate safely under evolving COVID-19 requirements. It emphasizes maintaining personal hygiene practices such as handwashing, appropriate social distancing, employee training for ServSafe credentials, and use of contactless and communication technologies. The document outlines recommended best practices, staff vaccination encouragement, health monitoring, cleaning/sanitation, and ventilation, aligning with CDC, FDA, EPA, and OSHA guidance plus state and local regulations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

To Restaurant Operators

Purpose of the Updated Guidance

Minimum Actions for Each Restaurant

Best Practices and Supporting Agencies

Make the ServSafe Dining Commitment

Four Best Practices

Restaurant Operation Guidance

Development Partners and Mitigation Focus

COVID-19 Restaurant Response

C O V I D-1 9 OPERATING GUIDANCE A GUIDE FOR THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY UPDATED July, 2021 For other resources: RESTAURANT.ORG/COVID19 TO RESTAURANT OPERATORS OPEN AND READY TO OPERATE UNDER LOCAL REQUIREMENTS… The purpose of this updated guidance is to continue to offer you direction and provide a framework for best practices as you as you operate under new COVID-19 operating rules. COVID-19 is a new, novel virus meaning there is more health officials are learning. Good guidance will update over time to incorporate new information as it comes in. Continue to implement and maintain requirements to wash hands after touching one’s face covering, or after coughing or sneezing on a tissue. And practice appropriate social distancing as required by your local authority. The National Restaurant Association wishes to provide both restaurant operators and diners information about what to expect asthe industry returns to on-premises dining and increased dining capacities. These recommendations are intended to complement existing state and local regulations concerning cleaning and sanitation, personal hygiene, social distancing, and health monitoring. We recognize that not everyone has access to accurate guidance, and that is where the Association can provide help. As restaurants continue to apply safety measures, each restaurant should, at a minimum: Make sure your person-in-charge has an up-to-date ServSafe Food Manager certification. The FDA Food Code requires every facility to have a person in charge on site during open hours and also directs that the person in charge should have a food manager certification. The public may still want reassurance. Provide ServSafe Food Handler training for your workers as well as COVID-19 training videos for Reopening Guidance, Delivery and Takeout. They’re your frontline; educating them protects them, you and your guests. Make technology your friend. Contactless payment systems, automated ordering systems, mobile ordering apps, website updatesand simple texts can help you to communicate and conduct business with reduced need for close contact. Keep communicating with customers (your hours, menu items, reservations, etc.), and help promote your safety efforts. Some of the best advice comes from the government agencies including the FDA’s Best Practices for Re-Opening Retail Food Establishments During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Food Safety Checklist), FDA/OSHA Employee Health and Food Safety Checklist, and OSHA’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19. Encourage all staff members to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus as soon as they are eligible. Teach the concepts contained in this Guidance to all staff members. It’s critically important that all staff members know what to do as food establishments are allowed to increase capacity. As we continue to learn more about operating businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to share with you the most current direction and advice from the experts at FDA, CDC, EPA, OSHA and other agencies. These documents will continue to reflect those best practices and will continue tobe updated. l 2 l COVID-19 OPERATING GUIDANCE M A K E T H E S E R V S A F E D I N I N G C O M M I T M E N T Through the ServSafe Dining Commitment, operators pledge to follow four best practices that are effective means for reducing the transmission of COVID-19 . 1. Adherence to this updated COVID-19 Operating Guidance and/or corporate brand guidelines, which are based on CDC, FDA, EPA and OSHA guidelines. 2. Adherence to the laws and guidelines set by their state and local municipalities. 3. Commitment to a minimum of one person per location with a current ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification. 4. Commitment to ensuring employees have been trained in ServSafe Food Handler courses and have gone through the free ServSafe COVID-19 Precaution Trainings Restaurants ready to make the com

FAQs

What is the purpose of the updated COVID-19 operating guidance?

The guidance provides direction and a framework for best practices as restaurants operate under new COVID-19 rules and capacity increases.

What minimum actions should each restaurant take?

Each restaurant should ensure a person-in-charge has an up-to-date ServSafe Food Manager certification, provide ServSafe Food Handler and COVID-19 training videos, use technology to reduce close contact, and follow supporting recommendations and health monitoring.

What four practices are part of the ServSafe Dining Commitment?

They include adhering to updated operating guidance/corporate guidelines, complying with state and local requirements, ensuring at least one current ServSafe Food Protection Manager per location, and confirming employees complete required ServSafe training and free ServSafe COVID-19 precaution trainings.

Oct 2, 2026

Uploaded by lilac