MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – Southern California is comprised of different counties and cities all navigating the coronavirus pandemic in different ways. Some can move forward in reopening sooner than others, which can cause confusion for restaurants that have multiple locations under differing mandates.

Keeping clean, safe, and consistent is important to Steve Greer at all times, but especially now. The Chief Marketing Officer of Urban Plates knows this is such an uncertain time, but wants to bring some certainty to customers.

“Safety for both the public and our team members is paramount,” said Greer.

Urban Plates is a local chain that started in SoCal and quickly expanded to different cities and even states. But here locally, there are 11 restaurants spanning L.A. and Orange Counties, which means the company may encounter different restrictions during the journey to reopen the state.

“We have taken things from one jurisdiction to another, but we are always in compliance to where they are,” said Greer.

He says consistency is key. For now, all locations will have the same safety regulations.

“We have a cautious and comprehensive approach to safety and for us taking best practices from different jurisdictions and communities and weaving it into one policy is much better approach, because it offers simplicity and consistency versus having a patchwork of rules,” said Greer.

But as different parts of the state get the green light to move further into stage two and possibly change some of their restrictions, Urban Plates may run into some push back. For example, in Orange County the general public is only strongly recommended to wear masks, but it is not required, wheras in L.A. County you must wear one in businesses. Greer says their employees will approach it with kindness.

“If we have a guest that maybe forgot the mask in the car, we will talk to them. Tell them what our policies are. There is a kind and dignified way to deal with that situation. If they don’t have a mask with them, they can wait outside and we can take their order. There’s a way to deal through all these things. It’s a trying time for everyone right now,” said Greer.

With hundreds of employees spanning the country, the Chief Marketing Officer says constant communication and training helps keep messaging consistent.

“It’s kind of like a family. You have one cousin talking to the other cousin and at the end of the day it works because everyone is on the same page. Having a simple policy is important because it helps train, it helps the public understand what to expect, and it is the best way to make sure the principals you set forth are enacted every day,” said Greer.

The principle to keep customers healthy inside and out at restaurants all around SoCal.

Right now, L.A. and Orange County are in early stage two, which means restaurants are open for dine-in only. Ventura County has moved further into stage two, so restaurants can offer dine-in service.