Xperience Restaurant Group announced its restaurant reopening strategy, following government mandated shutdowns in response to coronavirus. In strict adherence to the rules and regulations in all of its markets, XRG is implementing a set of thorough and stringent guidelines for safe reopenings across its restaurant concepts.
A major employer in the foodservice industry, XRG will bring back furloughed employees and look to make new hires as necessary to prepare and train staff for reopening. All XRG employees will undergo extensive training to prepare them for the “new normal” and to ensure everyone – regional directors, executives, general managers, front-of-house and back-of-house staff – is fully aware of the latest guidelines and mandates. While the restaurant group has already established impeccable safety and sanitation standards at each individual location of its brands (El Torito, Chevys Fresh Mex, Sol Mexican Cocina, Acapulco, Sinigual, Solita, El Torito Grill, and Las Brisas), the Company’s dedicated Learning & Development team will continue staff education through a new fundamental training program across the group.
“Our learning & development team has done an incredible job laying the groundwork for our restaurants to begin reopening cautiously and safely,” says Randy Sharpe, CEO of XRG. “The level of dedication and thought we’re putting into our staff training is testament to how much we care about our customers. We look forward to safely welcoming guests back into our resturants and are fully committed to taking all necessary steps to protect each other and our valued guests during this time of heightened sensitivity.”
XRG’s new mandatory staff training includes five days of educational sessions for each employee. The training will cover updated brand safety protocols and standards:
Closely monitoring daily updates and recommendations from the CDC.
Restaurant operations will be in complete accordance with new state and local safety guidelines in all locations.
More frequently sanitizing common touch points such as tables, chairs, booth backs, door handles, faucets, credit card terminals and other service items throughout business hours.
Staff items that would previously be shared among several people will now be dedicated to one person or sanitized after each use, including:
- POS systems – employees must sanitize hands before and after each use and the screens will be regularly disinfected.
- Host stand and telephone – only one employee at a time will be allowed at the host stand, and that person is the only one allowed to use the phone; the entire area will be disinfected at shift change.
- Depending on new mandates, restaurant capacity will likely be reduced.
- XRG has created a new system that allows guests to wait in their cars and receive a call or text when the table is ready, instead of crowding outside or near the host stand (the host stand will also be marked with 6-foot taping to guide social distancing).
- No items will stay on the tables between guests; this includes condiments, signage, etc.
- Mandatory temperature checks before shifts and directing crew members to never come to work if they experience fever or any COVID-19 symptoms.
- Increased managerial staff at each site will monitor closely to ensure protocols are followed correctly by all staff members.
