PPB Playbook -Buyers

PRODUCT CHECKLIST FOR DINING & RESTAURANTS ● Antimicrobial mouse pads ● Antimicrobial pens for signing receipts ● Antimicrobial styluses for key- ing in orders on a touchscreen ● Branded souve- nir growlers and other reusable drinkware for liquor delivery and takeout ● Counter mats ● Disposable bags for take-out ● Disposable menus ● Door clings or entrance signage with instructions ● Floor graphics ● Hands-free san- itizer stations at entrances ● Imprinted directional floor decals or mats ● Imprinted to-go cups ● Pedestal signs ● Promotional magnets to tuck in to-go orders with contact info ● Promotional stickers for to- go orders with contact info ● Reusable im- printed totes for take-out ● Table tent cards ● Table-Not-In-Use barricade tape ● Uniforms ● Vinyl banners T he restaurant industry has been largely upended by the COVID-19 pandemic with many eateries reporting sales down more than 50 percent, particularly those that are fine-dining, dine-in only and independent and family-owned operations. However, some restaurants flexed their options during the shutdown to offer curbside pickup, extended delivery and outdoor dining, when allowed. Many scaled down their menus and cut staff and operating hours to manage through the crisis. In many states, restaurants were forced to close if they could not provide take-out or delivery and reopening has been tricky as some states have allowed reopening of dine-in restaurants and bars only to mandate closures again because of a surge of the virus. Even for those states that do allow indoor dine-in service, occupancy is likely limited to 50 percent of capacity with six feet between tables. Servers are wearing masks and gloves, menus are single-use or online and only groups of six or fewer are allowed. Before the pandemic, the National Restaurant Association projected 2020 sales for the U.S. restaurant industry at $899 billion with more than one million restaurant locations and 15.6 million restaurant employees. An estimated 99 percent of companies in the industry are family-owned small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, and it’s projected that by 2030, there will be 17.2 million people working in this industry. The total economic impact of the restaurant industry, according to early 2020 numbers, is more than $2.5 trillion. While restaurants are challenged with current conditions and restrictions, the good news is that people need to eat and dining out has become a celebrated experience with 63 percent of consumers saying they’d rather enjoy a restaurant meal than spend the same amount of money on a store purchase. Dining & Restaurants THE PLAYBOOK TO RESTART BUSINESSES 11