LaRosa’s Family Pizzerias Prepare To Reopen Dining Rooms

LaRosa's Pizzeria
Published: May 26th, 2020

65 Ohio, Kentucky And Indiana Pizzerias Will Resume Dining Room Service Over Next Two Weeks With Safety And Service in Mind

May 26, 2020 // Franchising.com // CINCINNATI, OHIO - LaRosa’s Family Pizzerias have begun reopening dining rooms in accordance with state and local COVID-19 health safety guidelines in Ohio, Ky. and Ind. With a high level of focus on team member and guest safety, LaRosa’s expects most of its 65 pizzeria dining rooms to be open by June 8.

The Batesville, Ind. LaRosa’s Family Pizzeria was the first to reopen its dining room and has been serving guests since May 11. Most of the other pizzeria dining rooms will open on Tuesday, May 26. LaRosa’s expects the remainder of its dining rooms to be open by June 8.

LaRosa’s has made a number of accommodations to operate in accordance with state and local requirements designed to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Floor plans have been modified in all pizzeria dining rooms to allow for 6 feet of social distancing between guests.
• The number of guests allowed in each dining room and number of guests in single parties who can be seated together are limited and differ by individual state orders.
• A host greets dining room guests inside the pizzeria, then the guest will be seated. If no tables are available, the host will take the guest’s name and mobile phone number and ask them to wait outside or in their vehicle. When a table is ready, the host will text the guest.
• Team members serving guests (dining room servers, pick up area servers, delivery drivers) are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
• Guests will be provided with single-use disposable menus and served beverages in disposable paper cups.
• While pizzerias will use traditional tableware, each dining location will take additional measures to ensure serving plates and utensils are sanitized to LaRosa’s existing high standards.
• Guests are encouraged to pay with credit cards or gift cards and servers will take extra care to sanitize.

LaRosa’s will continue to monitor state and local orders to accommodate any further service guidance as the COVID situation evolves.

Michael LaRosa, CEO of LaRosa’s, Inc. and a member of the State of Ohio Restaurant ReStart Advisory Committee, worked to provide recommendations on health and safety protocols and best practices for all Ohio restaurants. “We carefully considered the physical space at each of our pizzerias to create not only a safe, but comfortable environment for our guests,” said LaRosa. “Our team members can’t wait to serve guests in our dining rooms. And we will continue to serve our guests who choose pick-up and delivery, minimizing contact and maximizing safety,” he said.

After its dining rooms were closed, LaRosa’s continued to serve its family recipe pizzas and other Italian favorites for pick-up and delivery at all locations. Pizzerias will continue to do so, maintaining the same safety-focused service practices that have been used in past weeks:

• Pick-up service differs at each pizzeria. Some locations have drive-up, pick-up windows, others have transformed pizzerias into drive through locations, and some provide curbside pick-up. In all cases, pick-up at LaRosa’s has looked different than what was typical and will continue to do so.
• When ordering, guests are asked to consider paying with a credit card or gift card to help streamline both pick-up and delivery service.
• Guests have been asked to arrive at the specified pick-up time to help LaRosa’s pick-up team efficiently manage the flow of guests, and to minimize wait time.
• Guests who wish to have a contactless delivery can pay with a credit card or gift card, add a tip and give specific delivery directions (e.g.- leave food on porch chair) when they order. The driver will deliver the meal as instructed.

Pick-up and delivery orders can be placed with the LaRosa’s app.

About LaRosa’s

LaRosa’s was founded in 1954 on Cincinnati’s West Side by Buddy LaRosa. It is now a $167 million restaurant company with 65 pizzerias serving neighborhoods in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

SOURCE LaRosa’s