Restaurants in the Time of COVID-19
The restaurant industry is dealing with a big hit as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Many businesses have shuttered their windows—some for the duration of the outbreak, others permanently. Some restaurants, however, are fighting to stay in business by seeking innovative new ways to serve their customers. A recent article from Fast Casual examines some of the many ways that restaurants around the country have transformed their services in response to COVID-19.
The article describes numerous tactics that restaurants are taking to address the current situation. Generally, they fall into two categories: new offerings and social good.
Here are some ideas for adding new take-out and delivery offerings to a restaurant business:
- Offering meal kits
- Offering family-size combo meals
- Selling produce, staple items, etc.
- Offering discounted or free delivery
- Offering curbside pickup
- Using non-contact exchanges
- Selling to-go alcohol, often at a discount
- Waiving delivery fees on large orders
Here is what some restaurants are doing to promote social good during this time:
- Having the corporate team work in restaurant locations
- Giving a discount to healthcare workers, first responders, and active military
- Donating a percentage of sales to community food banks
- Posting healthy recipes online
- Donating a meal each time a gift certificate is purchased
For more details on how restaurants are transforming their service offerings in response to COVID-19, click here to read the article in full.