Many New Rules for Restaurants

The government has initiated its three-phase reactivation plan started on May 18, with the intention to be completed by June 1, with the exception of Mexico City, where restaurants will not open to dining customers until June 15. Many businesses around the country have been scrambling to figure out how to adapt to a “new normal” as they approach their reopening. One of the industries where this is an even more pertinent question is the restaurant sector. By nature, the sector is dependent on a dense interaction between individuals. This Monday, the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Condiment Foods Industries (CANIRAC) published the Protocolo de Prevención COVID-19 “Mesa Segura” (COVID-19 Prevention Protocol “Safe Table”). This protocol, the chamber stated, is intended to be applied by all restaurants around the country from June 1 onwards until the government has defined new steps regarding phase 4 of the pandemic. The measures stipulated in the protocol include the following:

1. Before reopening a restaurant, exhaustive cleaning must take place at the establishment, including ventilation shafts and kitchen hoods.
2. Materials for cleaning and disinfection should always be in stock.
3. The facility must have ventilation, either natural or mechanical.
4. Cleaning must be conducted continuously after opening, of any surface that can come in contact with customers.
5. Special attention must be given to cleaning the toilet and throwaway towels should preferably be used.
6. Hygienic practices must always be applied when handling food.

With regards to the staff, the chamber recommends the following:

1. Restaurants must check on their staff to see who is at-risk person of contagion (people with conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, respiratory conditions, immunodeficiency conditions or old age). The chamber does not suggest any further actions with respect to these individuals other than to take extra precautionary measures.
2. Train the staff to convey the importance of washing hands and maintaining a clean environment.
3. Measure the temperature of staff before and after their shift. In case of any symptoms, companies must send the individual home.
4. Ensure that all staff wear face masks at all times.

The protocol includes other measures, such as refraining from mobile phone use during service to prevent carrying particles after disinfection. It also forces all restaurants to come up with a plan so customers always keep a 1.5m distance and tables have a maximum of 10 seated individuals. This measure is surely complicated, since many small restaurants in Mexico have very tight spaces. The protocol also states that restaurants should reduce the size of their menus, possibly using a QR code, so that the surface that customers touch is smaller. In addition, reservations over phone should be the norm to avoid waiting lines. Lastly, a measure that will change Mexican restaurant culture is that sauces and condiments should be served freshly every time and not be present on tables permanently.

Some restaurants have already commenced training and deep cleaning of their sites, such as Grupo Anderson’s, the owner of Señor Frogs, Porfirio’s and Fred’s, among other brands. The eventual enforcement of rules will depend to a large degree on the discipline of both restaurant staff and customers. In addition, the government will need to conduct a lot of inspections over the coming months.