Working Hard to Ensure a SAFE Shopping and Foodservice Environment for You

Proudly Committed to the South Carolina Palmetto Priority for Your Health and Safety

On June 23, 2020 South Carolina governor Announced the “Palmetto Priority Pledge”, a new restaurant safety initiative amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In order to participate in this pledge Restaurants were required to take certain steps along with putting additional systems in place.  Here are a few steps..

• Complete either a DHEC Virtual Food Safety Check or, after July, a Limited Scope Food Safety Inspection.
  • Available for free by scheduling with the restaurant’s food safety inspector or by contacting the DHEC food safety office
  • Confirmation available on the DHEC website
• Managers must complete the ServSafe Reopening Guidance: COVID-19 Precautions.
  • 13-minute ServSafe Reopening Guidance: COVID-19 Precautions course is available free on the ServSafe.com website
  • Certificate of completion available at the end of the course
  • All employees will be trained on appropriate cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, proper face covering and respiratory etiquette

• Adhere to the minimum standards, as outlined below of the SCRLA Restaurant Reopening Guidance.
  • Post required signage advising customers not to enter if symptomatic
  • Appropriate signage to promote social distancing and walking traffic patterns
  • Select one person per shift to be in charge of safety and sanitation during the shift, observing and ensuring that hand washing is done appropriately, and sanitation of dining room areas, restrooms, lobbies and door areas is done regularly and consistently (minimum of hourly). 
  • Signs reminding of hand hygiene and proper hand-washing posted for customers and staff
  • Execute the restaurants plan to clean and disinfect common areas and surfaces regularly using chemicals appropriate for COVID-19 disinfection
  • Health safety checks for all employees before each shift
  • Each employee is required to wear a face-covering (i.e., cloth or paper face coverings, face masks, full face shields)
  • Hand sanitizing stations will be available to all customers and employees, including upon entry
  • Parties will maintain at least 6 feet of distance from other parties at all times, except when seated at tables or booths with partitions.
  • Only provide condiments (consider using PC products when appropriate), silverware, flatware, glassware, or other traditional tabletop items upon service/request. When the table is unoccupied all items should be removed
  • Tables are cleaned and disinfected in between seating
  • Self-service items such as buffets or drink stations are eliminated unless an attendant is provided to serve those items to guests or to supervise the use of gloves by the patrons
  • Menus are available digital, single-use or disinfected between guests

Once Restaurant completed the steps and applications have been approved you will receive a door decal. Which symbolizes that you provide a clean and safe environment for their staff and customers to demonstrate the extensive precautions that they are taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Governor stressed that if customers see that a restaurant doesn’t have a Palmetto Priority Seal, “go somewhere else.”

As an essential business providing fuel, food, and other necessities, we strive to maintain the safest possible environment, with procedures based on federal, state, local, and industry guidelines and standards. We are also supporting your safety with options such as touch-free payments, drive-thru service, and curbside and indoor pick-up at many of our store and restaurant locations.

An important part of this effort is our commitment to standards under the South Carolina Palmetto Priority initiative, which includes:

• Completion of food safety inspections by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)
• Management and staff completion of National Restaurant Association ServSafe training, including standards for cleaning, disinfection, hygiene, face coverings, and respiratory etiquette
• Displaying signage encouraging social distancing, advising symptomatic customers not to enter, and reminding customers and team members of proper hand washing standards
• Designated team members responsible for safety and sanitation of dining room, lobby, rest room, and door areas, and monitoring appropriate hand washing procedures
• Frequent cleaning and disinfection of common areas and surfaces using appropriate disinfection chemicals
• Health and safety checks for all employees before each shift
• Hand sanitizing stations available to all customers and employees