Dearest community…

 

We are accustomed to sharing exciting news with you about our plans for the future. Indeed, we have a host of amazing stuff on the horizon. We look forward to telling you all about it, but in the here and now our focus is squarely on ensuring the health and safety of our staff and guests in light of the coronavirus.

 

We have been paying close attention to the news, CDC, Dept of Health as well as policies and procedures being issued by other organizations. The following is our current position on how to proceed with the greatest level of social responsibility:

 

It is our civic duty to ensure we maintain a safe environment for our employees and our guests. Everyone needs to be focused on ‘flattening the curve’ and slowing the spread of the disease as the best offense is a good defense right now. PLEASE JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT.

 

This article in The Washington Post makes the convincing case that “health experts believe that restaurants are “just as safe – perhaps even safer — than other public spaces.” Unless the CDC, Department of Health or evidence suggests otherwise, we do plan to continue to operate at all outlets with added precaution.

 

Next, we have made a series of precautionary changes at all Skinny Pancake outlets to increase the level of sanitation:

 

1. All major common area surfaces will be sanitized every three hours at all outlets.

 

2. Hand sanitizer is available for guests at major communal areas in our restaurants including our POS stations and coffee mixing areas.

 

3. All condiment bottles available to guests for self use will be removed. Condiments will be provided upon request to guests in small dishes.

 

4. Sadly, we will stop accepting reusable to-go mugs for the time being.

 

5. See something, say something: if you would like a surface wiped down or other sanitation procedures taken, please just let us know and we will act immediately.

 

6. Staff health and sanitation: while we have always emphasized the importance of washing hands and staying home when sick, we are implementing heightened sanitation and handwashing procedures with our staff. We maintain a Paid Sick Leave policy and have emphasized that if that proves insufficient, staff should reach out and we will explore extraordinary measures to ensure that staff do not come to work sick because they can’t afford the financial hardship of missing work.

 

7. We’ve engaged with our community and friends in food. We truly have a special community of restaurant groups where collaboration and support are the norm. With over 25 restaurants participating in an email string, we are all sharing our procedures and precautions and learning from each other’s best practices.

 

8. We have online ordering and we are pursuing delivery options through Snackpass in Hanover and DoorDash in Burlington.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the changes we have enacted this week. Frankly, we will continue to monitor the situation obsessively and will update these procedures as needed.

 

It is going to require diligence from the entire community to ‘flatten the curve’ and snuff out this obnoxious virus. So please share any feedback you have about our plans and join us in this effort. 

 

With a full heart of gratitude for your many years of support of The Skinny Pancake…

 

-Benjy Adler 

CEO / Founder 

www.skinnypancake.com