Restaurant Indoor Dining Air Quality

Is restaurant indoor dining air quality as safe as it could be?

 

Consumers are concerned about restaurant indoor dining air quality In a Dining Safety Alliance survey we found 50% of the public prefer outdoor dining. Changing weather means moving dining indoors. We know that consumers prefer dining outdoors. And they are justified in doing so. But is indoor dining air quality as safe as it could be?

We know that COVID19 travels in air droplets and aerosols. So, there becomes an added responsibility to improve restaurant dining indoor air quality and reduce the risk of disease transmission.

How do we reduce that risk and keep restaurant indoor dining air quality as safe as possible?

  • Keep the indoor humidity between 40-60%. Optimal humidity weighs virus particles down.
  • While it may not be possible in colder climes, open windows to keep the indoor air fresher.
  • Require masks of ALL staff and patrons. You can’t eat through a mask, but you can talk through a mask. There is no excuse for not wearing one even when seated at a table.
  • Keep the number of persons/square foot to a minimum.
  • Discourage lounging and increase put through. Anyone could be carrying the disease. The longer patrons are sitting at a table, the greater the risk of disease spread.
  • Do not use overhead fans. Overhead fans simply push the air around and expose everyone to anyone.
  • Change your HVAC filter weekly and use a filter with a (minimum efficiency reporting value) MERV 13 rating.
  • Optimize the furnace ventilation rate and increase the filtration of the indoor air. This will improve the restaurant indoor dining air quality.
  • Consider a commercial filtration system. During our industry webinar, we will explore the different technology including a critical review of the pros and cons.

 

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