As someone with a little bit of OCD, dining out during the era of COVID-19 is like navigating a minefield. You become hyper aware of your surrounds and micro decisions are required almost every step of the way. For instance, when approaching the entrance to a restaurant, there’s the door handle: use one’s elbow or fish out a piece of tissue paper to touch it? Or perhaps wait two seconds and someone will hopefully open the door from the inside?

Once seated, I notice the cutlery placed on the table, resting on but a flimsy barrier of paper napkin beneath. I wonder how long it’s been sitting there, and if it has picked up possible pathogens on the tabletop left by the previous customer. Is it terrible to ask for a fresh set? “I get inexplicably happy when I see forks, spoons and chopsticks individually wrapped in plastic these days,” says a colleague whose most pressing concern at the moment is not waging a war against single-use plastic. After a lengthy scrub at the toilet sink, I return and panic a little when the waiter hands me a greasy menu. Damn, should’ve washed my hands after ordering. I eye the raw items on the menu: sashimi, salad, and wonder if getting some is akin to dicing with death.

And then, the server fills my water glass. To my dismay, he picks it up by the rim — where my lips would soon touch. Should I throw caution to the winds and drink it anyway? My equally fastidious friend laments, “just the other day, a waitress stood too close over my food and took forever to explain every single dish. I couldn't help but think of all that saliva.”

Many of these fears are born from paranoia, but some are legitimate causes for concern. Still, if one wanted to be almost 100% virus-free, the only way is to never leave home and eat all three meals cooked in one’s own kitchen. But because this isn’t possible for most working Singaporeans like me, it warms the cockles of my germophobe heart when I see the various safety measures painstakingly taken by many eateries during this fraught period. Especially when restaurants and even famous hawkers are seeing significant dips in their business as Singaporeans avoid crowded places.

It’s tough enough cooking and waiting on people for a living, but imagine having to do that while constantly disinfecting tables, chairs, (even menus), having to take one’s temperature twice daily, washing one’s hands nonstop and trying to breathe through a surgical mask. It’s both touching and reassuring.

Compiled below are a few of the steps employed by restaurants to help curb the spread of this virus. Now, go forth and dine out. Have a good time, support these hardworking folks and keep our makan scene alive. Just don’t forget to wash your hands.

Seven branches including 593 Havelock Rd, S169641. Tel: 6235-7716. yahuabakkutteh.com.sg

While the chopsticks and spoons at this Bak Kut Teh chain used to be housed in a communal container, each set is now thoughtfully wrapped in plastic and placed on every table. So you don’t have to worry about other customers’ paws digging through twenty chopsticks, or anyone coughing onto them. Not the most environmentally-friendly, but it sure is hygienic.

Restaurant staff ensures each guest sanitises his/her hands at the entrance before entering the dining room.

On a recent visit, we noticed all the wait staff donning surgical face masks. “We started wearing them two weeks ago,” says an auntie.

23 branches including #B1-03 Paragon Shopping Mall, S238859. Tel: 6836-8336. www.dintaifung.com.sg/index

General manager of Din Tai Fung Singapore, Hoo Hoe Keat, tells us that the restaurant chain has already been practicing certain hygiene procedures even before the COVID-19 outbreak. “Din Tai Fung is one of the pioneers in the industry to provide hand sanitisers for all our customers, as well as alcohol-based sanitisation of tables and chairs after each use at our restaurants”.

Mr Hoo adds: “In addition to these existing practices, we have further enhanced safety measures during this period by implementing nightly surface disinfection of restaurant premises using 75% alcohol [cleaning solutions]”. That Ghostbusters-esque (Germbusters?) spray thingy that uncle is wielding looks gratifyingly potent. Now where can we find a portable one for spraying everything?

There are now mandatory daily temperature checks and face masks for staff at all Din Tai Fung restaurants island-wide. The GM also tells us that the staff is separated into two teams to “minimise exposure”. Moreover, “nourishing herbal teas are provided to them and senior management members also visit the restaurants to check on their [employees’] well-being”.

Hand sanitiser is provided for all diners at DTF — even before this virus scare.

Two branches including 1022 Upp Serangoon Rd, S534760, Tel: 6287-4328. www.facebook.com/pages/Yongs-Teochew-Kueh/167896229901740

This popular soon kueh and png kueh specialist on Upper Serangoon Road (there’s also a branch in East Coast) sees long queues on weekends. But while customers used to crowd inside the shophouse space, they’re now ushered to queue outside the storefront. A shop assistant takes orders outside, scoots back into the shop to pack the requisite kuehs and brings them out for folks. Customers then enter two at a time to pay at the cashier inside (which has been shifted to just two metres from the entrance for convenience). “We’ve reorganised things for everyone’s welfare. Instead of 15 people inside the shop waiting to order, we now allow two to three customers in at one go. So not everyone has to gather together [in an enclosed space]. It’s also airier outside,” explains towkay Desmond Koh, 61. “This is mostly on weekends when it’s busier. If there’re only a couple of customers each time on weekdays, we let them order inside the store,” he elaborates.

He shares: “We’ve also placed hand sanitisers at the cashier counter as well as on one of our dine-in tables. We take the temperature of our staff each day when they arrive and when they leave. And we use disinfectant to clean our items”. However, they don’t mask up because “the government says only those who are sick should wear it. Also, there’s now a mask shortage”.

Two outlets including #02-256 Jewel Changi Airport, S819666. www.shakeshack.com.sg

“Shake Shack takes the temperature of all guests before they enter the Shack,” says a spokesperson of the fine casual American burger chain. This applies to both its outlets at Neil Road and Jewel Changi Airport.

The statement includes: “Shake Shack has put in place hand sanitisers for its staff and customers at all cashiers and throughout the Shack in both its restaurants at Jewel Changi Airport and 89 Neil Road, and increased the frequency of hand sanitisation for its employees.”

“Shake Shack has also taken proactive steps to brief staff and ensure that personal hygiene is kept as the utmost priority, including daily temperature checks for supplier delivery personnel to the Shack, and all staff before they commence work.”

25 outlets, including Crystal Jade Palace #04-19 Takashimaya Shopping Centre, S238872. Tel: 6735-2388. www.crystaljade.com/index/

Many Chinese restaurants in Singapore have taken a beating from the aftermath of the COVID-19 spread. Once-difficult to book eateries are now quieter — we managed to secure seats at the last minute easily this weekend even at popular joints. Perhaps it's the perception that Chinese eateries are a hotbed for Chinese nationals — from staff to customers. But relax, The Crystal Jade group is stepping up its efforts to keep everyone safe. Its PR rep tells us it has “ensured adequate supplies of masks, hand sanitisers and disinfectant for staff’s [and customers'] use” at its restaurants.

Better still, the usual wet towels across all casual and fine-dining Crystal Jade outlets have been replaced with these antiseptic, antibacterial wipes (at the regular 40 cents wet towel cost, no extra charge). They may not contain the recommended virus-destroying alcohol, but at least they have disinfecting ingredients such as chlorhexidine, and is definitely better than plain old wet tissue.

Sanitisers have also been placed at all entrances and cashier areas for customers’ use. And the group has increased the frequency of cleaning of commonly used areas such as ordering kiosks. Daily temperature checks are also taken for all staff and suppliers.

While the Jumbo group which owns the Singapore franchise rights to this cha chaan teng chain from Hong Kong declined to comment for this story, our friend who dined at Tsui Wah’s Clarke Quay branch recently told us that all diners had to have their temperature taken before entering the eatery. She says: “If your temperate is in the safe range, you’re given a sticker to slap onto your shirt and you're good to go (otherwise you’re turned away)”. She also mentioned that hand sanitiser is provided at the entrance, and all the wait staff wore masks. Moreover, tables are disinfected after each customer is done eating.

10 branches including #01-29A/52 Plaza Singapura, S238839. Tel: 6251-2000. www.timhowan.com

At this HK dim sum hotspot, tabletops, counters and point of sale systems are cleaned with sanitising solution four times daily — before lunch, after lunch, after tea time and post-dinner. The staff also undergoes daily temperature checks — anyone with a temp of 37.5 degrees Celsius and above, or who are unwell, must go home. Employees are also required to “wash their hands hourly”.

#33-01 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1, S018981. Tel: 6834-3133. www.level33.com.sg

What we find especially reassuring is that the menus at this craft beer brewery and Western food joint are sanitised with alcoholic solution after every guest is done flipping through it. Like their PR rep tells us, the menu is indeed an “overlooked” item — we can’t count the number of times we’ve cringed after being handed greasy, stained menus after cleaning our paws. Also: tables are sanitised with disinfectant after each use, the bar counter is cleaned every 30 minutes, so too the eatery’s toilets. We approve. And of course, hand sanitisers are distributed throughout the venue for staff and guests at the entrance, washrooms, work stations and host’s desk. Says its PR spokesperson: “As LeVeL33 is a high-volume venue, serving about 500 guests a day, they feel strongly that they have a responsibility to be vigilant and take care of guests and staff. Guests can be assured that as always, LeVeL33 is going above and beyond so that they can continue to relax and enjoy themselves as usual”. Moreover, RQAM, LeVeL33’s landlord, has set up stations for temperature screenings of all individuals before they're allowed to enter the building.

17 outlets, including Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant #01-140 Great World City, S237994. Tel: 6235-6008. www.imperialtreasure.com

Temperature checks are conducted for all Imperial Treasure customers before they enter each of their restaurants. Hand sanitisers are also provided at the front desk for diners to disinfect their hands (staff are also given sanitisers). Moreover, employees now undergo temperature checks twice daily.

Commonly used areas such as cash registers and the reception table are required to be disinfected twice a day; before every lunch and dinner service.

Four branches including 27 Lor Liput, Holland Village, S277738. www.project-acai.com

The 20-cent takeaway fee has been abolished for customers who prefer to tapow instead of dining in at this healthy dessert establishment. The management tells us, “since 31 January 2020, we ceased collecting our takeaway surcharge, as we felt that customers may prefer to takeaway their orders during this period (of the COVID-19 outbreak), particularly as some of our locations can get quite busy during peak periods”.

Project Acai has also since ceased the use of communal spoon holders at all of its four outlets “to minimise the contact between different customers and clean spoons. We now give spoons (as well as straws) to customers directly when they pick up their order”. Bravo. On top of this, the usual measures like temperature-taking of staff, reminding them to sanitise hands more frequently, providing them with masks if requested, and cleansing menus, electronic devices (iPads), tables, door handles, kitchen counters, and equipment surfaces throughout the day are taken. Nice.

Blk 39 Malan Rd, Gillman Barracks, S109442. Tel: 6694-0807. www.nakedfinn.com

Artisanal seafood shack Naked Finn asks all its diners if they’ve been to China over the last 14 days — whether it’s via phone reservations or walk-ins. Anyone who says yes will be politely turned away. Also, founder Ken Loon says, “Every staff member has a bottle of hand sanitiser — we spray customers’ hands when they arrive. And wait staff also sanitise their hands every time they clear plates and before serving new dishes. After diners depart, we clean the tables and chairs with disinfectant.” Temperature checks are done on the team twice daily, while an ozone generator that purportedly purifies the air is turned on in the dining room before lunch, after lunch and after dinner.

#04-21 Wisma Atria, S238877. Tel: 6836-0609. www.facebook.com/pages/Koh-Grill-Sushi-Bar/1723244151062370

While the still crowded (we saw a queue there on a recent Monday evening) casual sushi bar within the food court at Wisma Atria declined to be interviewed for this feature, we noticed its hostess, waitresses and even chefs at the sushi counter donning surgical face masks when we walked by.

Three outlets including #04-01 Orchard Central, S238896, Tel: 6636-5949. tanukiraw.com

Says boss Howard Lo: “We provide hand sanitisers at each outlet for the staff and customers to use. We also conduct temperature checks for staff two times a day, and then we write down the reading and they sign next to it. If there's a customer who is unwell, our team is empowered to direct them to the nearest clinic. We have masks available for our staff, who are free to wear them if they choose to — but it’s not compulsory”.

10 Telok Blangah Green, S109178. Tel: 8126-8844. www.thealkaffmansion.sg

All the dining tables and chairs at this smart Spanish diner have been spaced further apart to increase the distance between each diner. Other measures here include temperature taking at the entrance of the restaurant and providing sanitising hand wash in all toilets, washing areas and “touchpoints”.