Culinary Creatives

How Some Acadiana Restaurants are Pivoting Strategies During COVID

By Abby Meaux Conques

Hard times are for the creatives. They’re for the people who simply have to think outside of the box in order to make it. I’d say it’s safe to deem these as “hard times.” The good thing about hard times is that they also create resilient people. And boy, do we have resilient people here in Acadiana; and many of them are business owners.

Food is BIG business around here. We center everything that we do around food, whether it be to celebrate great times or to help someone to feel better during tough times...food is the Cajun love language.

I recently spoke with businesspeople associated with local restaurant entities: board members of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, John O’Meara and Keith Bond, and CEO of the Downtown Development Authority, Anita Begnaud.

The Louisiana Restaurant Association serves as an advocate on behalf of the state’s foodservice and hospitality industry among elected officials and regulatory agencies. It’s governed by a Board of Directors that represents all segments of the foodservice and hospitality industry in our state. They offer memberships and associate memberships. They also offer crucial information to any restaurant in need (members and non-members) during these times regarding safe opening strategies and government compliance information. “The LRA has reopening resources for any foodservice and hospitality business, so our community can open in a safe and informed way,“ said O’Meara.

In speaking up for restaurant aid, the National Restaurant Association, with the help of the states’ associations, actively pursued extensions for businesses needing Paycheck Protection Program monies. The group served as a voice for the industry, aiding in the decision to extend the 8 week aid to 24 weeks.

O’Meara mentioned, “Food industry margins are so slim, that even at 50% occupancy, that simply won’t allow for some businesses to make it through the end of this thing.” He urges everyone who is still working to commit a day or two of the week to support their favorite local restaurant, whether it be complying with phase percentages of occupancy, takeout, or in the form of a gift card to be used later.

In speaking with O’Meara and Bond, they shed some light on some of the strategies area businesses are utilizing in order to make it through to the other side of COVID.

O’Meara said, “Restaurants have proven that small shifts can make a big difference. Rotolo’s for example...they shifted to ready-made pizza kits being available at Rouse’s stores. Making a ready kit meal that the family can put toppings on together during more home time creates an experience and helps out the restaurant and retailer.”

Ford mentioned La Pizzeria on Ambassador in Lafayette’s changes to the menu on the cusp of the COVID crisis. He explained that La Pizzeria had just opened under new ownership when the stay-at-home order began. Immediately, owner Randy Daniel rolled out ready-made family style dinner meals with 5 options, all $40 and under. He also stepped into the take-and-bake realm, offering select La Pizzeria pizzas at Little Veron’s off Rena Drive in Lafayette and Farm Stores off Westgate in Scott. They began a frontline donation campaign for Our Lady of Lourdes, Lafayette General Medical Center and University Health Clinics. For every $9.99 donated during certain periods, they would prepare a pizza for frontline workers and would deliver them.

They also got creative by offering virtual wine dinners, offering paired dinners and wines for two with zoom calls featuring wine ambassadors offering informational stories and menu pairings crafted and prepared for pickup from the restaurant; a true wine and dinner pairing experience by industry professionals, with a live virtual experience.

WHAT'S IN STORE FOR THE FUTURE?

In speaking with Anita Beganud, she mentioned the Downtown Development Authority’s curbside strategy, Toot N’

Scoot, might be here to stay in some fashion. “Now we have a model for Downtown to still be able to service customers,” she said. Toot N’ Scoot came from a need to do something in the early days of the virus so people could still enjoy what the area offers during unprecedented times. People could order food or a product from a participating Downtown business online or by phone, drive up to a designated spot, honk the horn, and someone would meet them at their car for service. “We needed a campaign to remind people that these places were still open and in need of support,” she said.

The Downtown non-profit partnered with the Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Traffic Division to accommodate the use of metered parking spots for businesses by block. They also kept in touch with local businesses to ask if they needed assistance and looked for feedback so they could tailor their services to Downtown businesses' needs.

The Downtown Chicken Sandwich Snackdown idea came from one of those calls. With a simple chicken sandwich competition suggestion, the idea grew into a Downtown event where over a dozen restaurants signed up to compete. The concept gives patrons the initiave to try new restaurants, gives them the incintive to check out multiple downtown spots, and aids their support via donation of $1 from each sandwich sold for regular Downtown activities that people enjoy annually (Downtown Alive, Artwalk, Movies in the Parc, and more).

As serious as a situation that the food industry is in right now, O’Meara, Bond, and Begnaud all shared sentiments of the spirit of this area.

O’Meara mentioned, “Everybody’s got a lot to deal with, and this will all be fluid for a while, but one thing about people in this area is they bond over food. If they’re used to having a tradition of meeting at a certain restaurant on a certain night of the week, they’re continuing to do so whether they’re taking out or dining in even with half capacity.” One message he did want to get across in terms of supporting these local spots is to “eat local and as often as you can to re-support these establishments.”

Begnaud spoke highly of the business owners of the Downtown area. “I have seen such an entrepreneurial spirit with Downtown. This has forced us to be more creative than we’ve ever had to be and to streamline business...whether it be by adjusting hours, finishing that online store or utilizing curbside pickup,” she said. “People love our restaurant culture, they enjoy Downtown culture, and they love to support local businesses.”

If you want to make sure your favorite gathering spot sticks around, be sure to support them however you can in these times, whether it be by dining in, taking out, giving a social media shout out or review or by purchasing a gift card.