Running a restaurant is challenging under normal circumstances, considering everything the owners and managers have to deal with. From the politics of organizing the rota to cutting back on expenses, it’s not hard to see why so many fail – 60% shut in their first year, and 80% go before their fifth anniversary.
However, this isn’t a typical period. This is entrepreneurialism under Covid-19 restrictions, which means the process is twice as tough. As a customer, you might assume there’s nothing you can do to lend a hand. After all, it’s not as if you want to put your health at risk for a meal and a few drinks.
Plus, depending on where you live, it could be illegal to leave the house for anything that doesn’t constitute a valid excuse, whatever that means. In short, they are on their own if the government and local authorities don’t step in to offer assistance.
However, this is the wrong way of looking at it. Firstly, it’s the neighbourly thing to do. Secondly, when this is over, you don’t want your favourite establishment not to exist. As such, even if you’re finding things difficult, you can continue to show support and solidarity. Here’s how.
Pick Wisely
Choosing wisely isn’t a selfish thing. Obviously, you’re going to order food from the places where you dine regularly as they are your favourites. That’s human nature. However, if you do branch out, you should factor in the considerations that often go under the radar when the world isn’t in crisis.
For example, are the employees paid fairly? What’s the tip situation like? Do the owners work their employees to the bone without rewarding them properly? Top restaurant management tips encourage leaders to be transparent, open, and to display a positive attitude during hard times. Otherwise, the employees, the people you want to help the most will suffer.
Researching an eatery’s background isn’t straightforward, but it is doable with reviews as they’ll often include details you don’t hear or see elsewhere. Also, if you have friends who know people who work at the restaurant, you can ask them about the management process. Although it’s different, the last thing you want to do is line the pockets of fat cats who don’t look after their workers.
After all, even though the hospitality sector will be hit the hardest, there are other ways to show support to individuals.
Order Weekly Takeout
A lockdown is a tipping point for health and wellbeing. While some people revert to sitting on the sofa eating snacks and doing nothing, others are proactive exercise regularly. Whether you fall into the former or latter category, the idea of a weekly takeout meal might not be on the to-do list. After all, it’s a gateway to bad habits!
However, you shouldn’t view fast food and takeout dishes as meals you can never indulge in. If anything, the odd treat is healthier as it prevents you from giving into temptation and gorging on forbidden ingredients. Recent studies show that a weekly takeout order is perfectly fine regarding your health.
As long as you exercise a couple of times a week and eat-in from Monday to Friday, it won’t have a massive impact. This is great news because it means your cheat meal can be a weekly thing that helps a nearby restaurant survive the current economic strive. Just like the food you order, you should try different establishments to spread the wealth and ensure a plethora of local restaurants benefit from your generosity.
Are you really going to turn down a golden excuse?!
Leave A Review
Okay, you prefer to stick to a strict number of calories, whether it’s Wednesday or Sunday. There’s nothing wrong with that because your health equals wealth. The good news is, you’re not limited by your desire to avoid takeout and fast food. Thankfully, there are other ways to give the hospitality sector a boost when foot traffic is low.
A review is a prime example. The majority of people, whether they like to eat out or not, have been to a restaurant they enjoy and can leave honest feedback. It’s worth noting that only half of the customers leave a review when asked. Considering the impact of unbiased critiques on consumers, it’s the least you can do.
Alternatively, you don’t have to speak about food. For example, if you have heard it’s a well-run business with great customer service, you can post a review talking about how much your family and friends like the dishes. Any little help during a crisis, especially feedback from a third-party who has nothing to gain by leaving a review.
Please remember that feedback takes many forms today, including likes and comments on social media posts and accounts.
Change Your Booking
You have a booking, but don’t feel comfortable eating inside the restaurant due to health concerns. The first reaction is to cancel entirely because you don’t want to lose your deposit. However, asking for a refund forces restaurants to give out what little cash they have to customers, rather than keeping it to pay the bills and save for a rainy day.
Therefore, a healthy compromise is to keep your booking and change it to a different date, one where the pandemic is less intense and scary. That way, the company can keep the money you have already paid to help them with cash flow issues, and you can look forward to a post-Covid date night.
Of course, you need to talk with the restaurant to see if they will honour your reservation in the future, yet it shouldn’t be a problem. Other than that, you can purchase a voucher or coupon to use at a later date. Anything purchase you make now, regardless of whether you use it straight away, is a lifesaver as restaurants need liquidity to stay open, pay overheads, and survive the pandemic.
A coupon is a brilliant option if money is tight and you need your deposit back, but still want to help.
Are your local restaurants struggling? How are you doing your bit?