F&B : How to Support Your Restaurant Due to Widespread Shutdowns
By: Bakti Kristianto
Tags: Food And Beverage, Indonesia, Covid 19, Restaurant

Overview

As the COVID-19 pandemic keeps people home and some cities and countries limit business operations. In Indonesia also applies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing and an appeal not to leave the house for a certain period. In these unprecedented times due to the spread of COVID-19, restaurants are among the hardest-hit businesses.

OpenTable data shows severe declines in restaurant industry, and many have been limit operational time, forced to close, laying off employees in the process. Others have remained open. This data shows year-over-year seated dinners at restaurants on the OpenTable network across all channels: online reservations, phone reservations, and walk-ins. The peak of global decline of -100% occurred on March 23, 2020.

Global Data Year-over-Year seated dinners at restaurant. (Source: OpenTable)

Following is an explanation of how to read data. For year-over-year comparisons by day, OpenTable compare to the same day of the week from the same week in the previous year. For example, they’d compare Friday of week 10 in 2020 to Friday of week 10 in 2019.

If you are a restaurant owner, how can you minimize this impact? You can pay attention to consumer behavior in addressing the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, as follows.

Respondents’ self protective measures against coronavirus Indonesia 2020. (Source: Statista)

According to a survey conducted in Indonesia in March 2020 and published by J. Müller on Mar 19, 2020, most of the respondents washed their hands more frequently in order to prevent them from getting the virus. However, the behavior that you need to pay attention to is that there are still some consumers who choose to shop online and use cashless payment.

One thing is clear: Restaurants need you and your consumer support. Here are a few ways to help your restaurant:

Order take-out or online food delivery

Social distancing becomes a serious appeal to prevent the spread of the virus, therefore it is better to limit interaction and gathering. Restaurants can apply take away purchases and do not provide tables or chairs in the restaurant.

For restaurants that already provide online food delivery services, it will be more profitable. GoFood and GrabFood, as well as other online food delivery services, continue to operate by following procedures in accordance with the appeal to prevent the spread of the virus. If it is not yet registered, then your restaurant can do it manually with GoSend or Grab Delivery while keeping up with existing safety standards.

Offer discount or cashback through e-wallet provider

It is clear that discounts and cashback are one of the reasons consumers use cashless payment / e-wallet. Moreover, in the difficulty of doing activities, and going out for shopping, cheap prices are an option. Your restaurant can do the same to minimize the impact of reduced customers.

Spread the word on social media

Use Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to show how you are supporting restaurants right now. Also to show that your restaurant needs support from consumers. Of course you also need to make sure that the restaurant’s operational procedures still follow the call to prevent the spread of the virus.

Everyone’s safety and health is the first priority at this time. In the limitation of activities, it is better to see the potential that exists, not merely threats or losses.