Restaurant workers are now being trained in conflict resolution

On Monday, the National Restaurant Association introduced a series of educational videos training hospitality workers on the best ways to neutralize conflicts that may arise in the age of pandemic dining. The lessons provide a multitude of scenarios on how to deal with anti-maskers, those who don’t adhere to social distancing, and how to diffuse arguments between customers—even if another party begins filming the incident—reminding viewers that “an angry guest isn’t necessarily mad at you.” “We were hearing, ‘My employees need tactics on how to handle this, on how to handle the intensity,’” Janet Benoit, vice president of the association’s training and education program, told The Washington Post. Though much of the advice boils down to staying calm amid the ire and other practical tactics, a refresher can’t hurt. “Sometimes, you need a good reminder of what that means in the face of a new context,” she says.