Restaurant & Lodging - Spring 2021

REBUILDING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE Safety, Quality, and Great Service Help Move the Industry Forward At a time when more consumers are beginning to venture out of their homes and into restaurants, bars and lodging properties, it's critically important to continue to maintain consumer confidence and build assurance of safe practices within the industry. Safety has become a differentiator on par with quality and service, so adopting a safetyfocused culture and communicating key information to potential patrons is key to getting back to “business as usual.” We asked four hospitality companies to share what they’ve been doing to establish best practices for safety and communicate that information to their guests.

As of right now, industry professionals see no end in sight when it comes to enhanced cleaning and sanitizing.

“We’ve asked ourselves, ‘What would our customers want us to do whether we think we need to do it or not?’” said David Anderson, co-owner of Syndicate Wine Bar in Beaverton.

“We had to listen to the worst of their fears and the strongest opinions, then step back and say, ‘That may be a strong opinion, but what is the bell curve?’” Right now, it’s about keeping an ear to the ground, understanding what customers expect and being transparent about what you’re doing to adapt to those concerns.

David Anderson, Syndicate Wine Bar, Beaverton OregonRLA.ORG 27