How coronavirus pandemic will change the way we eat out – with China maybe providing the blueprint
- Going out to eat may hold less appeal long after the Covid-19 outbreak is over and many are looking to see how China’s restaurants are dealing with it
- Some restaurants are offering grocery delivery services; Pizza Hut, for example, delivers uncooked steaks, complete with detailed preparation instructions
Restaurants battling for survival in countries hard hit by the coronavirus epidemic are starting to ask the question: even when the lockdown ends, how do we lure back skittish diners? Their margin for error is very small.
“All of a sudden, it’s like: I don’t know if I want someone touching my food,” says Bob Goldin, a partner at consulting firm Pentallect in the United States. Illustrating the scope of the challenge, he adds: “I think we’re all learning we can live without restaurants.”
There’s growing apprehension that restaurants have suddenly lost their appeal on a deeper level in a way that will reverberate well after Covid-19 fades. Consumers, many of whom are cooking at home and facing dimmer economic prospects, are likely be slow to congregate again in bars and restaurants.
Restaurants are one of several industries that will face major hurdles in getting customers comfortable coming back. Retailers, sports leagues and music venues are also evaluating next steps.
Their plight is now a high-profile issue in the US: Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said in a recent New York Times opinion piece that “restaurants may need new layouts, with diners farther apart”. President Donald Trump included industry leaders on phone calls last week about how to revive the US economy.
