The recent Coronavirus pandemic outbreak has shocked many of us - our lives have paused whilst we succumb to the social distancing measures that are in place to protect us from the virus. This has impacted small and large businesses across the world as they’ve had to close to prevent small gatherings of people. 

This is something that’s particularly relevant with coffee shops. Thankfully, we’ve seen social distancing measures lift, allowing small businesses to open again. This has meant you may have to adapt your operations in order to adhere to the measures but still ensure your business can get the customers in. 

As a result, there have been great measures that coffee shops have introduced to protect their staff and their customers from the COVID-19 virus that could still be lingering. Here are what coffee shops are doing and any tips that you could utilise for your coffee shop business.

Cleaning efforts have increased

CDC guidance and rules have been set out by governments on how they can prevent the spread of the virus. Standard sanitation guidelines include frequent handwashing and disinfecting surfaces that are regularly touched by members of staff and the public. Safety measures such as masks and gloves being worn have also been made a priority.

Suspending use of personal cups

Whilst the use of personal cups have been a great incentive to protect the environment and increase sustainability, it’s also something that could easily spread the virus relatively quickly. Passing used cups from one person to another can easily cause others to contract the virus. So, for now coffee shops have advised customers that the use of personal cups will be suspended temporarily until it’s safe to allow their use again.

In-app purchasing

To save close contact interaction between customers and staff, many coffee shop businesses have introduced contactless transactions and in-app purchases. This allows customers to make their order in advance from a distance and simply allow them to pick up the order swiftly once it’s been completed. There’s also the option for contactless delivery to save customers entering the coffee shop in groups. 

Reducing opening hours/limited menu

To sustain the number of customers that coffee shops can manage, they’ve been offering limited menus and opening hours. This allows staff to maintain the number of orders they receive from customers and allow more time to sanitise the surrounding areas and prepare them for the next working day. 

Protecting your customers and staff in the coffee shop

Whilst we’ve seen many non-essential businesses such as cosmetic surgery clinics, restaurants and gyms reopen again it’s still extremely important that these businesses do their bit to protect staff and customers. The guidelines above are ideal safety tips for coffee shop owners to adhere to and allow their businesses to attract revenue, even during testing times.