— By Crystal Jacobs — Restaurant cybersecurity and cyber insurance are more relevant than ever as online orders boom amid COVID-19. As the Covid-19 viral pandemic continues to cause major disruptions throughout the global economy, countless restaurants across the United States have shifted to a delivery- or pickup-only business model in order to survive, often with a heavy reliance on online orders and digital payment. Criminal actors are taking advantage of this spike in online commerce: March 2020 saw a 600% increase in email phishing scams, whereby criminals send …
Industry Voices
— By Marc Ferguson — A closer look at electrostatic sprayers. Of all industries, COVID-19 has impacted the hospitality industry just about the hardest. Now, as restaurants around the country begin to reopen, most are taking several steps to ensure patrons feel safe and are safe in their properties. One restaurant in Texas went so far as to hire a “bathroom monitor.” The duties of this bathroom monitor is to clean restrooms after every use. While most restaurants and hospitality properties are increasing cleaning frequencies considerably, for most, cleaning restrooms …
— By Darren Waxman — Retail has changed forever. It’s time to make a pandemic pivot. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way American’s interact, communicate, work, shop, and mingle. Social distancing has instantly become the new normal, toilet paper has become a scarcity, while Netflix and Disney+ are now considered primary needs. The spread of the coronavirus has spawned consumers to panic buy items virtually overnight, which in turn has severely disrupted supply chains and caused shortages of everyday items. Retailers and restaurants that were not operating …
— By Adam Walker — As the foodservice industry changes, fire protection technology offers smarter, more scalable solutions with electric detection for complex cooking environments. Today’s commercial kitchens are evolving to meet consumer demands. Dining destinations throughout the world are seeing the rise of large-scale, multi-kitchen foodservice operations, driven by both consumers’ need for convenience and an increasing desire for new and unique food experiences. Certain types of complex kitchens have seen an especially increased demand recently with more consumers using food delivery services as part of their efforts …
— By Danny Miller, Transformative Wave — The airborne transmission of COVID-19 has impacted many retail and restaurant facilities in their ability to safely operate indoors. As facility operators look to comply with COVID-19 safety guidance, there are three battlefronts that have arisen: disinfection, filtration and ventilation. Numerous products are being marketed and confusion can arise about what should be the priority. Disinfection Disinfection attempts to kill the virus include using products like UV-C lights or bipolar ionization. UV-C has been shown to be effective but largely on stationary …
— By Trent Limban — Snow season will sneak up on you! Now is the time to prepare. Although it’s summertime and blazing hot in most of the country, now is the time when multi-site facility managers should prepare for snow season. It’s best to secure snow season services well in advance because you want to make sure there are contractors and equipment (like large front-end loaders) available to handle the services, and that your sites will be cleared immediately after the snow falls. You want your business …
— By Thomas Holland — When you need disinfection and you need it fast, you have to be careful. As restaurants, retailers and other businesses reopen across the country, they are doing everything in their power to help keep employees and customers safe. Despite all their planning and preparation, however, when COVID-19 arrives on the scene, the initial reaction is often a frantic phone call to the first company that comes to mind, usually a local janitorial or restoration company. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous providers are gouging clients in …
— By Fabio Vitali — Protecting your brand in a precarious time. As businesses open their doors following COVID-19-related closures, they face a range of new challenges. From sourcing essential supplies and meeting the increased demand for cleaning to adjusting building capacities and employee schedules, businesses will need to adapt to new standards while protecting their brand image. Three elements — hand hygiene, clean surfaces and environmental responsibility — can all support brand protection during a delicate reopening process, because they all reduce risk in some way. In Good …
— By Paul Bothner — Proper water heater selection impacts your restaurant’s bottom line. As the restaurant industry reopens its doors after the national shutdown, owners are even more focused on improving operating profits. One area of evaluation needs to be the generation of hot water, as it is among the largest — and, in some cases, the Number 1 — energy consumer of all installed appliances within hospitality facilities, particularly restaurants. For this reason, higher efficiency, condensing water heater designs comprise the majority of installations on new construction …
— By Elizabeth Orlieb — HVAC systems are no longer an afterthought post COVID-19 lockdown. Discussions on HVAC systems and maintenance best practices have become prominent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With this development comes the recognition that HVAC in commercial buildings can no longer be an afterthought post COVID-19 lockdown, particularly as it relates to adhering to maintenance best practices and enhancing maintenance programs. Business owners, facility managers and maintenance personnel need to be aware and know the implications of the new recommended HVAC controls for COVID-19 mitigation. While …