Talk about best laid plans…
A funny thing happened last night when I went to the Alamo Drafthouse movie plex in downtown Kansas City for the opening night screening of The Hunt.
Because just the day before on March 11th, Alamo sent me an email outlining a seven point coronavirus strategy to ensure the safety of moviegoers.
Yet, one of the key bulletpoints was not being observed…by anybody.
“Gloves are being worn by all staff during theater cleanings and when bussing tables.”
Based on my experience last night, nobody was wearing gloves.
Seems like in the wake of all the public precautions, events being canceled and people avoiding – wait for it – movie theaters, Alamo management would do a better job of making certain its theaters comply with its new rules.\
But wait!
“The theaters are (being) cleaned,” says local Alamo staffer Gabe. “I don’t think the servers are required to wear gloves.”
The critical detail, the definition of “bussing.”
Traditionally “bussers” remove plates and wipe down tables after diners have eaten or left. They also perform tasks like refilling water glasses and… ”
Bussers might help waiters and waitresses bring food out to a table, restock utensils, napkins and other dining room needs.”
Is that why none of the servers or other Alamo staffers were not wearing gloves?
Enter an Alamo manager…
“Well, the company policy has changed,” he says. “The (new) company policy came down yesterday in the middle of the day and there was a bit of a learning curve at the theater. So anybody that you see as of (now) will be wearing gloves anywhere…We’re just changing the policy.”
The Alamo’s pre-full gloves policy prior to Friday is listed below:
“What we are doing:
- We are closely monitoring daily updates and recommendations from the CDC.
- We are sanitizing seat armrests, cup holders, and tables during theater cleanings before every show.
- Gloves are being worn by all staff during theater cleanings and when bussing tables.
- Every night our end-of-day cleaning team is disinfecting all hand-contact surfaces in guest-accessible areas (armrests, tables, door handles, counters, railings, benches, booths, faucets).
- In addition to nightly deep cleaning, our theaters are increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting all high-traffic areas throughout the day. Door handles and box office counters are being disinfected at a cadence of every 30 minutes during business hours.
- On that note, we’ve retrained our entire staff in thorough and frequent hand-washing – fronts, backs, wrists, between fingers – with soap and water for at least twenty seconds each time
- Employees have also been instructed to never come to work if they experience fever or any Coronavirus symptoms”
“What we are doing:
Sorry but those things should have been taking place everyday long before the coronavirus issue currently at hand. I am amazed at the number of businesses reaching out to me claiming to be cleaning and taking steps to ensure my well being and others by doing the kind of cleaning that they should have been doing all along.
The retail world has turned their backs on fundamental cleaning and germ prevention practices for years and now want to let me know it’s now safe to spend my money at your locations?????
Methinks not!
The same practices that everyone is running around claiming to be doing should have been done for all of us in the past and in the future. Us citizens need to as well take a hard look at how we interact with the general public and use good common sense germ prevention when out in public. If you’re sick stay home, get well or see a doctor, running around sick for days spreading what you have to all really isn’t how a civilized world or community lives. We all know what is the correct thing to do and need to try and make every effort to do so.
If you paid money to see the Hunt, you deserve to be culled anyway
Fair enough