SCRLA/NRA Guidance for Restaurants

We hope the following information is helpful to you given these challenging and difficult circumstances. 

Restaurant operations to consider:

• Does the revenue model for takeout only meet the expenses you need?
• Is it worth staying open with a negative revenue model?
• Consider the options of taking on additional debt (SBA loans or interest-only loans)
• Discussion with landlords: operators should consider approaching landlords to reduce rents to somewhere around 6% of sales while operations are closed and for a 60-day period once we re-open. If doing some to go or delivery sales, offer to share a percentage with them. Landlords should be our partners, and they should have flexibility if they want to get their tenants back and paying rent. The ramp up will allow business to get their feet back on the ground
• Contact your utility companies: you need a temporary time-out from payments. Ensure they will keep your power/gas/energy on.

Closing procedures:

• Let staff take any food that cannot be frozen/saved.
• Remove all trash from the building/Cancel Dumpster Pickups.
• Take pourers off and tightly wrap open bottle tops of liquor in saran
• Leave all exhaust fans running - In the unlikely event of a gas leak or pilot goes out during the closing, the fans will help to exhaust any hazardous gas from the building.
• Turn off any auto-payment processes.
• Cancel any scheduled deliveries.
• Close Out your Month End Procedures.
• Alert your payroll company as to the layoffs and changes in payroll hourly and salary.
• Employee contact info and address updated.
• Alert your Health Insurance Company to the layoffs and the elimination of benefits.
• Set up restaurant email to be forwarded.
• Set up restaurant phone to be forwarded.
• Cancel all reservations. 

Operational:

• A final Inventory of all food and beverage should be taken.
• Prepare and transfer all perishable food.

Bar:

• Ensure all alcohol is locked in cages or office.
• Clean/blowout beer Lines.

• Take your thermostats to the high 50’s to save on electricity, without turning the system off completely. Reconditioning the entire restaurant's air after being off can cause compromised HVAC systems to fail. Better to spend a little to save what could be a lot.
• Set any tankless water heaters to the “OFF” position. Turn off gas to each unit.
• Turn off water circulator pump.
• Turn off all gas to kitchen equipment.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment knobs are set to the “OFF” position.
• Empty all refrigeration on the line, unplug and leave doors open
• Unplug all refrigeration at the bar and in club houses, remove any items that may spoil and leave doors open.
• Ensure all lights are off in walk-ins, kitchen, dining room, mezzanine, office.
• Ensure all doors are locked.
• All trash removed from building including office trash cans. Re-line all cans to keep fruit fly activity down. 
• Perform a walkthrough ensuring walk in doors are closed and all exterior doors are locked.
• Turn off any entertainment electronics.
• All Patio Couches/chairs pulled inside and stored.

The Governor has issued an Executive Order which may affect your facility. Please see Section 4 of the Executive Order (located at the end of this document) for information related to retail food establishments. A copy of the Executive Order is attached.

To facilitate social distancing, restaurants and bars can no longer provide sit down dining. This applies to both indoor and outdoor dining areas. The Governor is encouraging all affected facilities to provide take out, drive through or delivery service.  Patrons may come into the facility to place orders. However, to promote social distancing, we are encouraging that orders be taken via phone, online or at a service window. 

Retail food establishments are not required to notify DHEC or the Division when they become aware of an employee who tests positive for COVID-19. There is also no requirement for public notification by your facility should you have a report of a positive employee. COVID-19 is a reportable disease, but that requirement is the responsibility of the medical provider or the testing laboratory, not the patient or their employer. 

Retail stores, convenience stores and hotel breakfast service may continue to offer self-service food service such as grab and go, hot dog and pizza or other food pick up; however, any seating areas need to be closed.

If you choose to temporarily close your facility due to the Governor’s Executive Order, you do not need to notify DHEC, and you can reopen without notifying DHEC.

If a follow-up is scheduled for your facility, DHEC will be contacting you by phone to discuss the processes for conducting the inspection.

For the duration of the emergency restrictions and to encourage social distancing practices, DHEC will not be conducting routine inspections. However, we will come and provide a non-graded evaluation and consultation upon request.  Requests can be made to the Division of Food and Lead Risk Assessments at (803) 896-0640 or foodsafetyteam@dhec.sc.gov or to your regional BEHS office.

The National Restaurant Association sends restaurant industry recovery and relief proposal to White House, projects economic impact of at least $225 billion and 5-7 million job losses

A day after President Trump spoke to restaurant chain leaders and reportedly unveiled an $850 billion stimulus package, the National Restaurant Association has sent their own proposal to the Trump administration and congressional leaders. Read the full article here.

The South Carolina Department of Revenue is offering tax relief to assist taxpayers during the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The SCDOR is offering more time to file returns and pay taxes due April 1, 2020-June 1, 2020 to assist taxpayers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Tax returns and payments due April 1-June 1 will now be due June 1, 2020.Penalty and interest will not be charged if payment is made by June 1. This includes:

• South Carolina Individual Income Taxes
• Corporate Income Taxes
• Sales and Use Tax
• Admissions Tax
• Other taxes filed and paid with the SCDOR

This tax relief does not affect returns and tax payments that are due in March. These deadlines still apply.

SCDOR is automatically applying this tax relief for all applicable returns and payments; you don't need to take any additional action.

Review SCDOR Information Letter 20-3 for more information