General Guidance

For food service establishments inside the Springfield city limits:

• Space tables at least six feet apart, unless solid barriers at least six feet tall have been installed between tables or booths. *
• Face coverings are required for both staff and patrons while not eating or drinking. *
  
• No self-service buffets permitted. *
• No counter seating or communal table seating permitted. *
• Patio seating may be provided, and tables should be spaced 6 feet apart otherwise patrons must wear a face covering while seated except when drinking or eating. *
• Use single service condiments (e.g. sugar, ketchup, creamer, salt) and utensils. 
• Educate employees about how they can reduce the spread of COVID-19.

For food service establishments in Greene County (but outside the Springfield city limits):

• Allow dine-in seating while meeting physical distancing guidelines.
• Avoid self-service buffets.
• Avoid counter seating.
• Use single service condiments (e.g. sugar, ketchup, creamer, salt) and utensils. 
• Encourage staff to wear cloth face coverings when interacting with customers.
• Educate employees about how they can reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Employee Health Guidance

• Screen employees upon arrival to work for symptoms.
  • Design a protocol for reporting self-monitoring before beginning shift. 
  • Use of touchless thermometers to check temperature before shift.
• Require employees to stay home if they are sick.
• If employees report to work with a fever or other symptoms or become ill during their shift, they must be sent home. Clean and disinfect ill employee workstations immediately.
• Individuals at high-risk should continue to remain at home and not interact with others except for vital activities.
• Encourage respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and sneezes.  
• Require hand washing by employees upon arrival at work and continually throughout their shift.
• Encourage or require staff to wear cloth face coverings when interacting with customers.
• Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and contact the Springfield-Greene County Health Department for guidance.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidance

Kitchen:

• Application of the Missouri Food Code cleaning and disinfecting standards must be maintained in the kitchen at all times.* 
• Clean and sanitize registers, ATMs, and client credit cards regularly.

Dining Area:

• Provide hand sanitizer at the entrance and exit of the establishment.
• Wear disposable gloves to clean and disinfect.
• Increase frequency of cleaning, sanitation or disinfection of all frequently touched surfaces in the dining area (e.g. door handles, counter tops, light switches, etc.) during hours of operations
• Clean and disinfect tables, chairs and menus after each patron’s use.
• For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions at 10% bleach, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
  • For soft (porous) surfaces such as carpeted floor, rugs, and drapes, remove visible contamination if present and clean with appropriate cleaners indicated for use on these surfaces.
  • If the items can be laundered, launder items in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and then dry items completely.
• For electronics, such as tablets, touch screens, keyboards, remote controls, and ATMs:
  • Consider putting a wipeable cover on electronics
  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and disinfecting

Physical Distancing Guidance for Employees and Patrons

• Space tables at least six feet apart, unless solid barriers at least six feet tall have been installed between tables or booths.
  • Chairs at tables may be within six feet to allow family units to dine together.
  • Outside seating must adhere to six feet distancing between tables, otherwise patrons must wear a face covering while seated except when drinking or eating. *
  • If booths are utilized for dining, designate booths available for seating at every other booth to facilitate social distancing of six feet between customers.
• Number of patrons must not exceed ten per table.
• Avoid counter seating or communal table seating.
• Utilize cash registers (point of sale) in a manner that facilitates six feet physical distancing. This may involve only using every other cash register.
• Mark six feet spacing for patrons to wait in line for seats, wait in line at the point of sale and wait in line for restrooms.
• If social distancing guidelines cannot be maintained in the kitchen, then a face covering should be worn and laundered daily.