CFPM presentation of COVID safe holiday buffet

Valuable Tips For CFPMs Offering 2020 Holiday Buffets

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In traditional times, the months of November and December see an increase in buffet dining options as larger groups congregate in restaurants and dining halls to celebrate the holidays. This holiday season is one like no other, so certified food protection managers have to take extra precautions not only to keep their food safe but abide by local COVID-19 restrictions. Let’s take a look at some steps Certified Food Protection Managers (CFPMs) can take if they choose to host a holiday buffet service.

CFPM presentation of COVID safe holiday buffet
Image credit: Alexander Raths via 123rf

Certified Food Protection Managers and Holiday Buffets

According to StaySafeMN hospitality guidance buffets are allowed as long as the establishment adheres to certain protocols. However, our first suggestion would be to assess whether it’s absolutely necessary to provide buffet service this season. With reservations required and limited seating capacity, your CFPM may wish to consider foregoing the holiday buffet for a more traditional sit-down service to better abide by StaySafeMN protocols. With the added restriction of required reservations, it’s possible that your guests can preorder their meals. This may streamline the process and reduce the risk of too many customers congregating around the buffet line.

If you do choose to offer a holiday buffet, you should take the following into consideration:

  • How will you enforce social distancing in buffet lines?
  • Will multiple guests use the same serving utensils?
  • How will sanitation protocols be put in place?

No matter the occasion, buffets tend to promote groups of people waiting in line and huddling in confined areas for extended periods of time. Even at 50-percent capacity, many restaurants may have trouble enforcing social distancing regulations. You may wish to have servers monitor the situation and release groups table by table to peruse the options at the buffet.

The use of common utensils presents a major dilemma when it comes to buffets. During regular buffet service, many unrelated guests may handle the same serving utensils. In order to avoid this common contact, we’d suggest pre portioning items on the table that guests can grab and go without digging into chafing dishes. While this may require guests to make multiple trips through the line, it reduces the risk of a potentially infected customer from spreading coronavirus through contact with utensils.

Finally, there should be rigid sanitation protocols in place. Assign specific staff members to sanitize common serving areas after each group has gone through the line.

Does your CFPMs have a plan for holiday buffet service?

Urgent New Stay Safe MN Guidance For Certified Food Protection Managers

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On November 10, Governor Tim Walz released new guidance for Certified Food Protection Managers at restaurants as part of the Stay Safe MN effort to control the spread of COVID-19. While there are only a few new restrictions on foodservice businesses, CFPMs should be aware that these new regulations will go into effect on Friday, November 13 at 10 PM. These changes include:

  • Changes in dine-in hours
  • Limits on games in bars and lounges
  • Reduction in indoor seating capacity
Governor Walz Nov 10, 2020 presentation re Stay Safe MN new regulations for Certified Food Protection Managers
Image credit: Office of Governor Walz

The first rule will affect most certified food protection managers at restaurants and bars as well as any other establishment that offers indoor dining. Starting Friday, dine-in service must end at 10 PM and cannot resume before 4 AM. Delivery, takeout and curbside service are still allowed during normal business hours.

Along with the new restricted hours, restaurants, bars and other establishments must require all patrons to remain at tables except to enter, exit or use restroom facilities. This new Stay Safe MN guidance specifically restricts any types of games that require standing and moving around in gaming areas. Bars and lounges should cover pool tables, remove dartboards, unplug arcade machines and prevent guests from participating in other game activities that require them to leave their tables and come into contact with other patrons.

Finally, indoor seating capacity must be reduced to 50 percent and no more than 150 patrons are allowed in large dining halls.

Hopefully, by following these new Stay Safe MN rules, certified food protection managers will keep doing their part to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus so we can make progress towards restoring our vibrant dining scene.

ServSafe Managers Delivering Holiday Takeout Meals

4 Simple Tips For ServSafe Managers Offering Holiday Takeout Service

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With the current COVID-19 crisis and the limits on large gatherings in public places, we predict that many families who traditionally eat their holiday meals in restaurants will choose to order their family dinners for takeout rather than dine in a restaurant or banquet hall. Cooking and packaging large dinners for holiday festivities presents a challenge for food managers who may not be accustomed to this type of service. This week, we’ll take a look at how ServSafe Managers can overcome those challenges and offer advice on how to make sure the holiday takeout dinners you provide are safe from foodborne illness.

ServSafe Managers Delivering Holiday Takeout Meals
Image credit: Inna Tarasenko via 123rf

How ServSafe Food Managers Can Provide Safe Holiday Takeout

For most of the year, takeout is pretty simple. A customer calls in their order and then it’s prepared for either delivery or ready when a guest arrives to pick it up. The process for holiday style dinners will have to include a more detailed plan due to the nature of these types of meals. Turkeys, hams and pork roasts take much longer to cook, side dishes must be produced in greater quantities and restaurants will require much more hot-holding space if they wish to provide heated Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to their guests. So how can ServSafe managers pull off holiday takeouts safely?

Here’s a few suggestions:

  • Require a deadline for pre-order
  • Provide defined pickup and delivery times
  • Package hot product in reasonable portions
  • Offer ready-to-cook meals

Preparing, cooking and packaging large meals is a huge endeavor, but you can make it easier by having an exact count of how many meals you’re required to prepare. Setting a deadline before your food supplier’s last delivery date before the holiday can give you an advantage. If you fail to adhere to a strict deadline, you run the risk of running out of product to fill orders or simply not having the production capacity to cook and prepare meals in the event of a massive influx of families looking for last-minute solutions. It’s also helpful to have precise times for guests to pick up their meals. This allows for an easier pace and will ease any congestion should we still be under COVID-19 capacity restrictions around the holidays.

In order to keep food safe from the spread of bacteria, it’s important to prepare food in reasonable portions. Most restaurants don’t have the hot-holding equipment to keep large amounts of roasts, turkeys, and hams out of the danger zone. Keeping reasonable portions on hand will allow you to prepare more food throughout the day and slice and package during the appropriate pickup window. Offering ready-to-cook meals is another option to reduce food-safety risks. If your customers can grab prepped meals and heat them at home, this will reduce your need for hot-holding and still provide an unforgettable holiday experience.

Do you plan on offering Thanksgiving, Christmas or other holiday meals for delivery and takeout?

Highlights from New consumer Food Safety Confidence Study

Highlights From New Consumer Food Safety Confidence Survey

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As a supply chain innovator, Zebra Technologies manufactures high-tech products that help businesses manage and monitor their supply chain. Some of their products include technology related to food quality monitoring and supply chain tracking. They recently conducted an extensive survey and study about consumer food safety confidence. This lengthy study brings to the forefront many issues ServSafe food managers should pay attention to, so let’s take a look at some of the highlights.

Highlights From New Consumer Food Safety Confidence Survey
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ServSafe Food Managers and Consumer Food Safety Concerns

In conducting this study, Zebra surveyed 4,957 consumers and 462 food and beverage firms worldwide. While each region had its share of diverse concerns, the results of those surveyed in the U.S. and the rest of North America shed some light on how our customers view food safety. Some consumer food safety stats that should concern ServSafe food managers include:

  • 60% would never return to a business where they consumed tainted product
  • More than 80% believe all businesses have an ethical responsibility to enforce strict safety standards
  • Approximately 70% feel it’s important to know how their food is handled and prepared
  • 69% would like to know how their food is sourced

As you can see from the first two statistics, consumers believe in strong food safety standards and trust will be easily lost, even after just one incident. That’s why it’s vital that your food business has clearly outlined safety standards and there are no training gaps when it comes to food safety.

It may come as a surprise that more restaurant-goers feel the need to know where their food comes from and how it’s handled. It’s no longer enough just to trust that restaurants have strict food handling procedures.

To respond to consumers who are looking to know every detail of food production, ServSafe food managers should be prepared to answer questions as to the source of their ingredients, especially potentially vulnerable items such as seafood. Customers will eat much more confidently if their concerns about sourcing and handling can be quickly addressed.

On a final note, consumers were asked what they perceived to be the biggest issues when it comes to food safety. The top answers include:

  • Kitchen staff hygiene
  • Foodborne illness outbreaks
  • Contaminated product
  • Consuming recalled ingredients

As you can see, three out of four issues all concern the state of product before it reaches your facility. Do you feel it’s important to know where your ingredients come from?