’Reopening Kits’ for Restaurants Need to Do More Than Just Create an Appearance of Safety | Eater

"Provides a free “reopening kit” to independent restaurant groups (under 10 locations) that mainly contains a box of 50 masks and an array of marketing-oriented signs — including a poster reading “We are Open for Dine-In — Join Us!”, a door decal proclaiming “We are Keeping It Clean and Safe For All”, five red six‑foot decals, and a pop‑up social‑distancing sign — plus a “reopening blueprint” pamphlet. The company, which also distributes raw ingredients and prepared items like tempura shrimp and bacon jam, frames the kit as support for restaurants reopening. Critics argue the package functions more as a marketing and appearance-of-safety tool than a meaningful public-health intervention: the mask supply is small (likely lasting a small restaurant only a few days), signage won’t stop virus transmission, and operational recommendations such as sealing the back of house and assigning different uniforms to bussers may unintentionally reinforce class and racial hierarchies. While the materials might help draw customers and encourage caution, they offer limited actual protection, and the distributor stands to benefit commercially as orders and supply relationships expand." - Meghan McCarron