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Self-service buffets in Singapore are allowed to resume from April 30, 2022, the Singapore Food Agency announced on April 29.

This applies to buffets at external venues.

But a new practice has been put in place that establishments have to abide by.

Need to provide hand sanitisers or disposable gloves

Even though restrictions have been eased, as a safeguard, SFA intends to introduce a new licensing condition: Licensees of F&B establishments offering self-service buffets are to provide patrons with hand sanitisers, containing at least 60 per cent alcohol, or disposable gloves.

Self-service buffet lines must have in the vicinity at least two bottles of hand sanitisers or two packs of disposable gloves, with all starting points covered.

Signages to remind patrons to sanitise their hands or use disposable gloves before picking up serving cutlery are encouraged to be put up.

Serving cutlery a must

Besides this new measure, F&B establishments must provide clean serving cutlery such as spoons, tongs and ladles, to discourage patrons from picking up food using their own cutlery.

Serving cutlery should also be frequently cleaned or replaced with clean ones.

Other measures

Where the food is not served in chaffing dishes with attached covers, plastic or glass barriers are encouraged to be put up to protect food from exposure to environmental contamination or respiratory droplets from patrons queuing at buffet lines.

However, hand sanitisers or disposable gloves need not be provided if a service staff is serving the food to patrons.

It was previously reported that self-service buffets will help ease manpower constraints, as customers can serve themselves without additional wait staff to provide a la carte style buffet service.

Top photos via Google Maps