17.7.2026

The FEHD Dedicated Team reminds you:

No dogs shall be allowed to enter the zone within 1.5 metres of any buffet counter / salad bar at any time. 

The buffet counter / salad bar is where food is displayed.  Allowing dogs to be in close proximity may pose safety and food hygiene risks. Therefore, it must be ensured that dogs cannot reach the food.  When assigning seats to customers with dogs, restaurant operators must ensure that dogs are not allowed within 1.5 metres of the buffet counter / salad bar.

According to the licensing conditions, no dogs shall be allowed to enter the zone within 1.5 metres of any buffet counter / salad bar at any time.

When inspecting restaurants with buffet counters or salad bars, the dedicated team will pay special attention to the operation of such areas.  The buffet counter / salad bar is where food is displayed.  Allowing dogs to be in close proximity may pose safety and food hygiene risks.  Therefore, it must be ensured that dogs cannot reach the food.  

To this end, restaurant operators should take proactive management measures to clearly demarcate the areas, for example, by marking the zone within 1.5 metres of any buffet counter or salad bar with clear signage, or setting up appropriate barriers such as fences and stanchion ropes to physically prevent dogs from entering.

Meanwhile, restaurant staff, when assigning seats, should optimise the seating arrangements.  It is recommended that customers bringing dogs be assigned seats further away from buffet areas or salad bars as far as possible to minimise the risks.

To ensure overall food safety, customers must not bring their dogs along when serving themselves in buffet areas or salad bars.  Those dining with relatives or friends should take turns fetching food, so as to make sure that a relative or friend remains at the seat at all times to properly look after the dog.  If a customer, dining alone, has to temporarily leave their seat, they must securely fasten the dog leash to a fixture.  In addition, to ensure food hygiene, customers with dogs should wash their hands or use disinfectant hand sanitisers to thoroughly clean their hands before leaving their seats to get food and after returning to their seats.

We hope that members of the trade and the public will work together to create a more inclusive and diverse dining environment while safeguarding public hygiene and food safety!