Unlike nightlife and karaoke establishments, buffet operators were allowed to continue operations throughout some parts of the pandemic.
However, the process has been strikingly different as staff must serve customers their food, unlike in pre-Covid days when buffet patrons could help themselves to the spread.
Good news for buffet lovers as starting today (30 Apr), self-service buffets can resume, albeit with some safety measures in place.
Most notably, buffet establishments and caterers must ensure that there are enough hand sanitisers and disposable gloves in the self-service area.
In a joint press release on Friday (29 Apr), several Government agencies announced the resumption of self-service buffets from Saturday (30 Apr).
This doesn’t apply just to F&B establishments but also to events like:
F&B establishments and caterers must provide at least two bottles of hand sanitisers or two packs of disposable gloves in the vicinity of the self-service buffet. They must also ensure that all “starting points” are covered.
Additionally, the hand sanitisers they provide must contain at least 60% alcohol.
Besides the provision of such items, there are several other guidelines that F&B establishments and caterers must abide by.
Firstly, they must cover the food at self-service buffet lines.
As for dishes that are not served in containers with covers, caterers must install plastic or glass barriers. This will minimise exposure to environmental contamination and/or respiratory droplets from queueing customers.
Mask-wearing will continue to play an important role in these buffet settings.
For starters, individuals who assist with the “sale and preparation of food and drinks” must don masks at all times.
Customers dining indoors must also have their masks on once they’ve finished their meals.
F&B establishments and caterers that provide self-service buffets should remind customers of this, and prompt them to use hand sanitisers or disposable gloves when handling food at the buffet counters.
For the full list of measures, check out the statement here.
As Covid-19 restrictions tightened and eased throughout the pandemic, we have had to make do without many experiences such as self-service buffets.
We’re hence glad to see them return as Covid-19 becomes increasingly endemic in Singapore.
Know someone who loves attending buffets? Share this with them so they’ll know about the new measures.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image by MS News.
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