Restaurants will be back in business on June 29 but there will be no menus and ban on buffets when they open their doors.
Plans for special isolation areas for customers who start feeling unwell are also among the operational guidelines for cafes and restaurants issued by Failte Ireland.
Before they start serving food restaurant operators must make sure they have taken all the necessary steps to keep people safe, and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
But the Restaurants Association of Ireland warned that nine out of ten of their members will not be able to open on June 29 if the two-metre social distancing rule is still in force.
Failte Ireland’s chief executive Paul Kelly said the new guidelines provide detailed information on enhanced hygiene and cleaning practices for the sector.
Mr Kelly added that businesses should pay particular attention to communal areas, and any potential cross contamination points.
He said that the new guidelines will mean big changes, especially for hotels and the traditional breakfast buffet.
Mr Kelly said: “Throughout this crisis we have been working with tourism and hospitality businesses to give them the guidance and supports they urgently need.
“The next phase of our response is recovery, re-opening and rebuilding the tourism industry and renewing its vital contribution to job creation and regional development.
“This is the greatest crisis our industry has ever faced and the reality is that many tourism businesses will not be in a position to re-open.
“The purpose of the operational guidelines we have developed in collaboration with industry groups is to try to help those businesses that can re-open their doors to do so safely.”
But the Restaurant Association’s chief executive Adrian Cummins said a change to one metre would enable up to 80% of members to reopen.
In a statement he said: “We all have a duty of care to both employees and members of the public to ensure their safety and well-being while on a premise.
“By reading and following these guidelines, we hope for a swift reopening of many establishments and aim to see 120,000 employees back to work.
“However, it’s not all good news. We are asking the government to reduce the mandatory social distance from two metres to one metre.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) states 1-metre is a safe social distance. To enforce a two-metre distance could prove detrimental to many small businesses who will struggle to survive the reduced customer capacity.
“We have fought hard on this issue and expect the required social distance to be change to one metre by 29th June.”
