How to Safeguard Your Restaurant in the Face of Severe Weather 

In a time where restaurants are challenged by rising costs and labor constraints, the rise in severe weather adds another challenge that owners and managers must plan and solve for to protect people and assets. 2024 disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton are strong examples of how catastrophic weather can be, leaving businesses devastated and communities with billions in damages. Sadly, these events are only becoming more frequent; in 2023 alone, the U.S. experienced  28 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, breaking the previous record of 22 set in 2020. With extreme weather events ranking as one of the most significant risks to businesses by the World Economic Forum, now marks a critical time for restaurant owners and operators to evaluate their preparedness strategies. 

While there is no way to guarantee protection against weather damage, proactive steps can help restaurants prepare well in advance. For this reason, restaurants must make severe weather preparedness a key component of their operation strategy and staff training. Creating a robust emergency plan, prioritizing staff safety, and investing in the right tools are essential for operations to resume during or after a disaster. 

Designing an Effective Emergency Plan with Shelter and Evacuation Routes 

Having a solid emergency plan is the most important part of severe weather preparedness for restaurants. This helps employees understand what to do in the face of dangerous weather, which ultimately minimizes panic and reassures guest safety. This can be done in two ways:

1. Identifying Areas of Shelter: Start by locating the best place of shelter for each type of weather situation that could impact your restaurant. To prepare for a tornado, clearly label the safest area and ensure that there is enough space for all employees and guests. Ideal shelter areas for tornadoes include basements or interior rooms with reinforced construction and no windows. Because every second counts when severe weather strikes, shelter areas should be easily accessible and labeled appropriately. Install back-up floodlights or generators to keep hallways and staircases lit in case of power failure, and make sure shelter areas do not require elevator use. There should also be a stock of emergency supplies at each shelter location, such as fire extinguishers, flashlights/batteries, first aid kit, drinking water, NOAA Weather and Emergency Alert Radio, batteries and necessary tools.

2. Identifying Evacuation Routes: Some disasters, like wildfires, floods, and landslides, require quick evacuation from all patrons in the building. This demands restaurants to have clearly marked exits and assembly points. Providing signage for directions to any exits that are not immediately visible, as well as indicating the locations of any locked or inoperable doors, will help guests find their way to safety.  For larger, multi-level restaurants, displaying a building map on each floor allows guests to quickly locate shelter areas and evacuation paths – reducing confusion and expediting safe exits. 

Safeguard Staff with Comprehensive Emergency Training 

A key component to severe weather preparedness for restaurants is the cooperation and safety of staff members. These individuals play an integral role in the execution of emergency procedures ensuring the safety of both guests and property while creating a calm and controlled environment. Therefore, restaurants must prioritize staff safety and weather emergency training. 

Comprehensive emergency training should be provided to all staff, including regular drills for handling evacuations and seeking shelter. Each employee should be familiar with the restaurant’s emergency plan and the appropriate actions to take during the distinct types of emergencies. Also, incorporating a severe weather preparedness plan into new hiring training and posting it in break rooms and common areas ensures staff are informed and prepared. 

Tech Solutions for Severe Weather Preparedness 

Technology is another component that can aid severe weather preparedness for restaurants. In situations with power outages and cellular disruptions, restaurants may struggle to operate and communicate. Having a reliable mode of communication during such situations is key to keeping operations running and staff in constant contact during critical moments. Two-way radios are a popular solution for this, as they provide fast and reliable communication without the need for power, Wi-Fi, or cellular service. 

Another technical solution for restaurants includes monitoring weather conditions with a NOAA Weather and Emergency Alert Radio. These devices operate on a 24-hour network of weather stations that broadcast information directly from the National Weather Service while also providing localized weather updates. Available in portable and desktop versions, NOAA weather radios keep restaurant managers up to date on any weather that could impact restaurant operations. Once the National Weather Service issues a warning, the radio’s siren will sound, giving staff the necessary time to move guests and themselves to safety. Keeping one of these devices in the manager’s office ensures easy access to accurate information for timely decision making. 

A Critical Time for Restaurants to Address Severe Weather Preparedness

As 2025 approaches and restaurants begin to outline operation protocols, emergency preparedness must be included in their budget and operations planning. By designing an emergency plan, prioritizing staff safety and training, and investing in the right technology, restaurants can stay one step ahead of the next disaster. These proactive steps, and active participation by staff and management, ensure restaurants are resilient and able to recover when severe weather strikes.