Will less communal dining lead to less 'dine-in' restaurants?
With cases of novel coronavirus growing at exponential rates, the hospitality landscape is drastically changing. Restaurants are no exception and have become ghost towns. Owners, employees and customers of these businesses are left wondering what to do in the short-to-medium term and how difficult the future for bars and restaurants will be in the long term, if the pandemic worsens.
For the past several years, people have spent more money on food prepared outside the home than on buying and making their meals. But, now, with restaurants mostly closed and as isolation increases, many people will learn or relearn how to cook over the next weeks. Others may even take to cooking as a hobby whilst staying incarcerated at home.
Sit-down restaurants too could close permanently as people frequent them less, and, as we all become less communal - at least for a while; it is likely there will be fewer sit-down restaurants… again, at least for a while.
The coronavirus has forced sweeping changes in consumer behavior. Everyone, well at least almost everyone, will avoid eating out and being in large groups or patronizing buffets that are shared with other customers. They may place more takeaway or delivery orders, so restaurants without these options may well experience a sharp drop in business volume as customers shift to eating at home. Correspondingly, those offering delivery and takeaway may see higher volume.
Unsurprisingly, delivery will triumph over everything else – although not to the same extent as when Amazon and Google demolished the retail business.
As more and more people come to believe that food from home is the safest option, restaurants and foodservice operators must recognise that the competition during these difficult times is not from other restaurants, but rather the customers’ own home kitchens.
Restaurants that react quickly to these behavioral changes will be able to combat negative attitudes of dining out, fueled by fears of contracting the virus. At the very least, regularly telling the public what measures they have taken, will enable them capture ‘mindshare’, and, when the recovery occurs ; be better positioned to capture greater market share via ‘top-of-the-mind’ recall.
Ilzaf Keefahs – writes on hospitality related matters that he is passionate about, and likes to share his views with hoteliers and customers alike. |
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