Frequently asked questions

Are there any new guest processes for arrival and whilst at the restaurant?   

From the very moment you arrive at the restaurant, your safety is our priority guests can expect the same warm welcome, we’re famous for: 

• It is personal choice whether you wear a facemask when entering and moving around the restaurant, unless you are seated at your table (see exclusions below) 
• The host will explain the service in our restaurant. 
• You’ll be given a menu which will be cleaned thoroughly after use.
• You will be able to order food and drinks from the bar.
• We have removed restrictions in our toilets, we still ask that you are courteous to others.

Are there any exclusions around wearing a face covering whilst at the restaurant?

• It is not mandatory for guests visiting our restaurants in England to wear a face covering.
• It’s not necessary to wear a face covering when seated at your table.
• Face coverings are not mandatory for the following guests:
  • Guests with medical exemptions or a reasonable excuse
  • Children under 11 in Wales
  • Children under 5 in Scotland
  • Children under 13 in NI and ROI

SAFETY 

What are we doing to ensure guests have a safe and enjoyable experience when dining with us?
We have created a gold standard in our “A Generous Serving of Safety” promise. This means that we strive to provide the safest possible environment for your visit by providing easy access to hand sanitiser, keeping some measures to control distancing such as screens in some instances and barriers at our buffet areas, reducing touch points where possible and increasing levels of cleaning and disinfection throughout the restaurant using products certified according to European Standards and effective against COVID-19.

What specific changes have you made to your restaurants in light of COVID 19?    
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we’ve rolled out additional safety measures across all our restaurants. These include but are not limited to:

Hand Sanitising

• Hand sanitisers will be placed at the entrance and exit and in other high traffic areas.

Maintaining Distance

• We will be following the most up to date government social distancing guidelines, applicable to each of the nations.
• Social distancing measures, whilst not mandatory we recommend that you continue to maintain a safe distance.
• We have left screens in place at our host stands, till areas and on some restaurant tables. 

Protective equipment for our teams

• We’ve provided our team members with protective equipment including hand sanitiser plus gloves and aprons for cleaning. Following the government guidance on the need to wear face masks in a restaurant setting, all our teams have been provided with face masks and will be wearing them if they choose to do so in England and will continue to wear them in NI, Scotland and Wales.

• It is not mandatory for our kitchen teams in England to wear visors during service, but can if they feel more comfortable to do so.

Reducing Touch Points

• Our menus will be available and sanitised after each use.
• Allergen menus will be available and will be sanitised after each guest use.
• Contactless payment is encouraged and has been increased to £45. 
• Seasonings and condiments will be delivered in sachets for food consumed in our garden areas. For in restaurant dining sauces will be delivered in individual sauce pots with a rigorous cleaning process in between each use. Seasonings will be delivered in sachets or served on the table in pots and grinders, these will be thoroughly cleaned after each use. 

Increased Cleaning

• Our teams have specific cleaning duties throughout the day and high contact areas in our restaurants are regularly sanitised.
• Each table will be cleaned between visits.
• Our cleaning products are certified according to European Standards and effective against COVID-19. 

What re-assurance can I get about the cleaning products you are using?   
We have a longstanding partnership with Diversey – one of the world’s leading suppliers of cleaning and hygiene products. Diversey provide products to a vast range of industries across the world, including some used by the NHS and other healthcare settings.  We are using chemicals that sanitise our restaurants to the standard of EN14476 for viricidal efficacy.  This means the products used are proven to be effective in killing COVID-19.

How are you training team members on the changes? 
Our rigorous training scheme ensures our team members have a well-informed understanding of the disease and its transmission. It provides guidance on appropriate social distancing and use of personal choice equipment (PCE), as well as physical and mental health monitoring and support.

We also have a dedicated team listening forum, with representatives from across our estate, to gain regular feedback and insights.

What PCE are you using?   
We have made a significant investment into the provision of a range of PCE, including gloves, aprons and hand sanitisers. Following government guidance, all our teams have been provided with face masks. Additionally, our kitchen team members have been provided with visors if they would prefer to wear one when they are working in the kitchen. 

What if I am not satisfied with the standard of cleanliness of the restaurant. What can I do?  
In the unlikely event you are not satisfied with the standard of cleanliness at the restaurant please alert the General Manager as soon as possible and they will be more than happy to help resolve the issue.

What checks are you doing on staff members to ensure they are healthy to work?  

• We have a regular health check-in, for team members to confirm their wellbeing with their line managers.

• If a team member is unwell, they will be sent home immediately and advised to call 111.

How are your team protecting me from getting infected by other guests?   

• Our tables are cleaned after each visit.
• Where appropriate we have provided screening to separate tables.
• Sanitiser stations are available throughout the restaurant. 

How are you monitoring guests entering the restaurants? 
Test and Trace is no longer a mandatory requirement to enter our restaurants in England. There will be an NHS Test and Trace QR code available at the entrance for those that wish to register. This may differ for Scotland, Wales and NI. please check the individual guidance before entering the restaurant.

How will my information be stored/used?
Guest’s who choose to leave their information, should be reassured that this will be securely stored for 21 days, then deleted from our records. Rest assured, we are recording this information solely to assist the NHS with the government’s Test and Trace initiative and will not use your personal data for any other purpose.

SPACES

What are your garden area protocols? How are you maintaining social distancing?  

• Our garden tables are evenly spaced and there will be a team member on hand to explain how things will work.
• Guests in the garden will order and pay at the bar in England. For NI, Wales and Scotland, this will be table service currently. We use external payment devices where these are available and a dedicated till area inside the restaurant, where external devices are not available. 
• Guests are advised they can only leave their tables when using the toilet, or when settling a bill at the end of their visit, if the guest has chosen to not pay for each item individually, in Wales, Scotland and NI
• All food, drink, cutlery and condiments will be brought to the table, where applicable.

How are we you managing Machines (including ATM’s)?

• Our team has a scheduled set of cleaning tasks, including regular sanitisation of our machines.
• Signage is present throughout the restaurant reminding guests to regularly wash and sanitise their hands, and maintain distance. 
• Protocols are in place for the handling of change between the team and guests.

ALLERGENS

How do I reference all food/drink allergen information? 
Our team will ask if you have any allergens when you are seated and will provide you with an allergy data sheet which indicates allergens by dish. Your order will be taken by an allergen management trained member of our team who will talk you through the steps we take both in our restaurants and our kitchens. For full allergen information check our website before you book. 

BREAKFAST - RESTAURANT / HOTEL GUESTS

Are you serving breakfast?
We are serving breakfast in all of our restaurants in line with government guidance.

Are you still doing Kids Eat Free? 
Yes, 2 kids under 16 eat free across our cooked and continental breakfast when one cooked adult breakfast is purchased.

HOTEL ONLY

Are you still doing the Meal Deal?  
In line with current government guidance we are now serving food in our restaurants. Our meal deal is back and available in all of our restaurants connected with a Premier Inn. Our meal deal offering may vary per site so please check our Premier Inn website or ask in your local restaurant for details.

What time are you serving food and drink? 
We are serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please select your restaurant/hotel and see their page on our website for details.

Is the bar open?  
Our bars are now open in our restaurants in-line with the relaxation of Covid measures. (England, Scotland, Wales and NI will have differing guidelines – please see links above for further guidance).

Do your rooms have fridges so I can store my own food?
Only our Premier Plus rooms contain mini fridges.

Can I store food in your fridge if there is none in my room?
Unfortunately, due to allergen risks we are unable to offer food storage for guests.

Do you offer evening meals?
Our restaurants are open for evening meals, please check your local for additional information.