Running A Restaurant During Social Distancing Given the issues and government directives surrounding the Coronavirus and the need for social distancing, there is a very real prospect that as the country unlocks itself from isolation, the hospitality industry in particular will be told "you may open but you have to introduce socialdistancing measures". Here we examine what that could mean for your restaurant or cafe.
T here's
no doubt that COVID-19 took the
change the way you serve customers, in order
whole of the hospitality industry by surprise
to avoid close contact. It also means that you
and literally within a matter of hours of the
may have to remove tables and thereby
Prime Minster's statement that restaurants
reduce seating capacity in the restaurant, or
could remain open but for the public not to
allowing only a reduced number of covers in
visit them, the whole sector was thrown into
to the premises at one time, or allowing
the biggest crisis known. Customers cancelled
customers a given time allocation per table in
bookings in their droves and restaurants'
order to turn over tables. In addition, how are
income went from healthy to zero overnight.
you to protect your staff?
Of course, some are not likely to survive. And it wasn't as if the industry was in a great state in the first place with numerous chains going to the wall. But having been taken by surprise once there is no necessity to be taken by surprise a second time. The bare truth of the matter is that if you are one of the fortunate eateries which is likely to
Should restaurateurs have to adopt such
survive this crisis then you currently have
unusual methods then there will undoubtedly
plenty of time to prepare for re-opening and
be a hit on their income levels. We have
the potential complications that such could
already seen local shops allowing only one
involve. There is a very distinct chance that
shopper in at a time in order to accord with
the release from lock-down will be phased in
social distancing and that has without doubt
and that the restaurants and big events will be
impacted on the income and profit levels of
the last sectors to be allowed to re-open. That
the businesses. For some, it may be a matter
said, there is also talk of extending the social
of offering buffet service, certainly in the
distancing measures beyond the lock-down
shorter term, or introducing/increasing the
period. That therefore leaves you as a
takeaway and delivery model. This lock-down
restaurateur with the dilemma of opening an
is certainly the right time to be addressing
eatery with the complication of having to
these issues. As a business, is social distancing in restaurants even feasible?
