New Zealand’s restaurant and fast foodservice operators have been urged to adapt their business practices overnight to survive the growing Covid-19 crisis.
National retail sales and leasing director for Bayleys Real Estate, Chris Beasleigh, advised that the huge societal habit-changes currently sweeping the country call for game-changing ways in which restaurants, cafes, and takeaway outlets conduct business.
“On the advice of the Government and health promotion agencies, over the coming weeks, Kiwis will be spending less time in the public domain. That means fewer visits to restaurants and cafes, and fewer visits to pick up the Friday night family fish and chips,” said Beasleigh.
“This slow-down in on-premise dining clientele trade throws up a whole new dynamic for those foodservice establishments not currently using the likes of Uber Eats or their own home delivery service as part of their marketing activities.”
Beasleigh noted that people will still want to retain some degree of normality to their lives and while they may choose not to publicly eat out in the coming weeks, they will still want to enjoy their favourite restaurant or café food. It’s just that now, that meal will be consumed at home.
“Foodservice operators will have to adapt literally overnight to that new scenario. Adapt or face the very real possibility of going out of business.”
With fewer customers forecast to be dining in over the immediate future, there is the potential straight away to have appropriate front of house staff operating home delivery services.
“Alternatively, restaurants and cafes could initiate a ‘click and collect’ model such as that already operated by the supermarket chains where food is prepared in the restaurant kitchen then collected from the front desk with no face-to-face contact with restaurant personnel,” Beasleigh suggested.
Beasleigh, who specialises in leasing foodservice and hospitality premises, said the trend was already growing in the USA where fast-food giant McDonalds had announced it was closing its restaurant dine-in areas and instead directing customer traffic to the drive-through outlets. Similarly, in New Zealand, doughnut retailer Krispy Kreme today shut its in-store dining rooms to the public but instead directed all customer traffic to counter-collection or drive-through options, thereby keeping staff employed and the businesses open.
Beasleigh said that that in partnership with local eateries evolving their service offerings in the face of adversity, consumers, while taking the necessary healthcare precautions, should endeavour to continue supporting their local café or restaurant home delivery service where possible, even if it was only once a week, rather than hibernating behind closed doors.
