Restaurants in Saudi Arabia permitted to reopen under strict new guidelines
Prepare yourself for a slightly different restaurant experience for a while…
Restaurants and cafes in Saudi Arabia have been given the go-ahead to reopen their doors following two months of closure. The announcement comes with a strict set of new guidelines which outlets must follow in order to re-open.
These guidelines include a maximum capacity for each outlet, as well as rules which staff and customers are required to abide by. The second phase of the re-opening plan, which was announced on May 26, also includes an extension of the current curfew.
The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs stated that no more than five people are permitted to sit at one table, unless they are all members of the same family. Each table must also be spaced a minimum of 1.5 metres apart.
It is mandatory for all restaurants, cafes and coffee shops to monitor the temperature of each guest and member of staff upon entering the venue. The temperature should be under 37.5 degrees celsius to allow entry.
Restaurants will also be required to use disposable plates, cutlery and cups to serve food and drinks. They should also offer a digital menu which can be scanned via a smart phone and read online to minimise the touching of physical menus.
The new guidelines also state that people are not allowed to shake hands when they greet each other. Additionally, everyone should be wearing a face mask at all times. Employees are required to wash their hands regularly, or use sanitiser if necessary.
These new rules will be ongoing until the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs will provide a further update.
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