Well, it is no surprise that holiday dining is going to be enjoyed differently this year – so be sure to make the most of it by hosting your events safely. After nearly a year of protecting themselves and their families, many people are eager to socialize again and the holidays have been the focal point for this activity. The hospitality business is no exception to the area of socializing, as our entire industry was built upon it and we too have been forced to make adjustments. In the warmer areas, like here in Texas, restaurants and event coordinators will continue to set up tables outdoors and implement masks with a safe distance between guests.
In colder states, our friends are not as lucky and gatherings may be limited to only a few guests. Some restaurants and event managers are closing their doors all together for the holiday and reopening when times are more consistent; it’s an intermittent trend across the board. Regardless of how your hospitality business is planning on offering holiday celebrations, we want to offer a few new tips, in addition to the already normalized public procedures:
- Sharing Is Not Caring – This even goes for things such as serving spoons and cutlery. Instead of having buffets and family-style meals this holiday season, you can have designated servers plate food for guests. Cal Mil’s environmentally friendly bamboo serving cones & cone holders work perfectly for this Charcuterie Cone trend we have been loving. Extra safety precautions should not mean you need to sacrifice on presentation!
- Distance When Serving Food – Whomever is assigned server for meals should practice social distancing as much as possibly when offering meals to your guests and should be outfitted with a sturdy mask and gloves. Our Bon Chef Aero Gloves are not only comfortable, but they have a stylish look so you can focus more on entertaining and less on your ensemble.
- Have Virtual Dinner Parties – Work, school, grocery shopping, and even yoga class is online now…why not offer To Go for holiday parties hosted on a video conferencing site? It is a great way for your guests to fight off isolation and celebrate with people split up into smaller groups. Take a look at our Holiday Party At Home Pre-Fix Menu for an easy dining option or inspiration.
- Bring Back the Tray Dinner – A long, lost friend of the Food Service industry is the tray dinner. Long ago were the days when we would supply a guest with cutlery, napkins, beverages, and a four-course meal on a tray. But this vintage staple is making a comeback this holiday season!
- Leave a Bin Out for Dirty Dishes – Once a tacky gesture, the dirty dish bin has been making a comeback. It is an easy way for guests to leave their dishes in a bin without putting a server at risk of contracting the virus through close proximity, even if her or she is wearing gloves.
- Ditch Cloth Napkins – Although we are big proponents of saving the planet, switching out cloth for paper napkins will save any contacted fabrics from touching laundry bins and washing facilities.
Humans are naturally social creatures, and it is no surprise that a lot of us do not want to break tradition during the holidays. Effects of not socializing at all has brought about concerns about mental health concerns and some people have reached their virtual visiting limits. So be sure to come up with creative ways to accommodate your guests over the holidays. Remember to contact our team or stop by one of Preferred Source’s three showrooms for tabletop and equipment needs for your holiday presentation. Best of luck and happy holidays!
