With restaurants preparing to reopen their dining rooms at the end of Phase One in NC’s reopening plan, safety and sanitation is going to be a top priority for many consumers around the state. That’s why the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA) has teamed up with NC Health Department, Visit NC + NC State to launch the Count on Me NC campaign.
What is it?
Essentially, Count on Me NC’s participating restaurants (and soon, retail) are promising to prioritize your health and safety when they open up shop again. They will continue to do health screens on every employee before they begin each shift, provide hand sanitizer in common areas, continue to use single-use place settings or condiments + dine-in seating options will observe CDC social distancing guidelines.
How are they keeping this promise?
The NCRLA has teamed up with Dr. Ben Chapman of NC State — who specializes in consumer, retail + food safety culture — to create training modules for all employees, designed to teach the best protocols for themselves and consumers in regards to reopening storefronts following the COVID-19 outbreak. The courses are still being created and completed by the Count on Me NC staff, but should be completed by next week for all managers, front facing employees, and cleaning staff.
How will I know that the business took these courses?
Once they are available, businesses who have finished the training will have the ability to print out a Count on Me NC completion certificate to hang in their windows. They will also be sent a Count on Me NC door sign + receive permission to use the campaign’s logo (pictured above) on their social media accounts and all marketing materials, including menus.
What else do I need to know?
This program is completely voluntary and free to all NC businesses. The courses are designed to go into a more detailed explanation on cleaning and sanitation practices + each course will take an employee approximately 30 minutes to complete. In return for the business completing the course and receiving the certification, the campaign asks that any individuals exposed to COVID-19 or showing symptoms continue to use the touchless pick-up or delivery services.
Check out Raleigh Magazine’s explanation of the campaign for more details + a few words from the NCRLA president and CEO Lynn Minges.
