Restaurants opening is the South are having disasterous attendance

["Roger"]

... at least according to Open Table reservations. Not a definitive measure given that not all restaurants use Open Table nor do all diners at those restaurants use Open Table. But the numbers have fallen so far off the cliff, it is an indication.

(political article removed)

 

[PigsDad]

I thought most (all?) of the places where restaurants were allowed to open have capacity limits (25 or 50%), or restrictions like outside tables only, correct? Have any states allowed restaurants to open at full capacity? In any case, it is not surprising that people would be cautious dining out at restaurants at first.

Kurt

 

[Brett]

... at least according to Open Table reservations. Not a definitive measure given that not all restaurants use Open Table nor do all diners at those restaurants use Open Table. But the numbers have fallen so far off the cliff, it is an indication.

yes it's going to take a while for people to confidently get back to restaurant dining

 

[TravelTime]

Given most restaurants are still closed and that those opening have limited capacity, this does not surprise me.

 

[chapjim]

You also have to wonder where are they getting foodstuffs, how long has it been in the freezer, etc.

 

[slip]

You also have to wonder where are they getting foodstuffs, how long has it been in the freezer, etc.

I work for a good distributor and we have plenty of inventory, fresh and frozen. Fresh inventory won’t be a problem for them to re-open. Cash will be the problem.

 

[Old Hickory]

... at least according to Open Table reservations. Not a definitive measure given that not all restaurants use Open Table nor do all diners at those restaurants use Open Table. But the numbers have fallen so far off the cliff, it is an indication.

Restaurants in states that are reopening are under strict rules for occupancy. We were planning to visit an open-air restaurant last Saturday night but temperatures quickly dropped into the 50s at sunset. In May. So we dined at home.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

IMO it would not be a relaxing experience anymore. Plus in-dining costs more with drinks, tips, desserts so it would have to reach a high hurdle to overcome this. Many people are out of a job or conserving cash.

 

[elaine]

not a relaxing experience anymore. Plus in-dining costs would have to reach a high hurdle to overcome this. Many people are ...conserving cash.

the risk of exposure vs enjoyment of dining tips towards no indoor restaurants for us for quite a while. plus, it's an easy way to cut out $50-100 for one night's dining.
we'll continue to splurge on take out 1X/week, which we pick up in a mask and then wipe down containers. But, we're from East Coast, where C19 is more prevalent. Our hospital in No. VA (DC metro area) has had 100 deaths.

 

[Luanne]

IMO it would not be a relaxing experience anymore. Plus in-dining costs more with drinks, tips, desserts so it would have to reach a high hurdle to overcome this. Many people are out of a job or conserving cash.

I was talking to someone who was a waitress for years. She said if restaurants are going to open in a limited capacity, they are going to need to limit the amount of time people can occupy a table so that they can turn the tables over quickly and make a profit. This kind of defeats the whole relaxing atmosphere of a restaurant as well.

 

[Panina]

I am in SC where in restaurant dining at 50% started Monday. From reading on neighbors on Nextdoor, a popular restaurant opened early on Mother’s Day and depending when you went, either no staff was wearing masks or all staff was wearing masks.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Prior to Covid I believe a lot of people were dining out because they were working long hours at the office with long commutes so were too tired to cook. Now that many are working at home and avoid commute time it is not too hard to run into the kitchen on a break to chop veggies and get a dish simmering in the afternoon. People are also rediscovering cooking and realizing that many restaurant dishes can be economically prepared at home. This might be a consumer shift back to when our parents who saved dining out for a special occasion.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I am in SC where in restaurant dining at 50% started Monday. From reading on neighbors on Nextdoor, a popular restaurant opened early on Mother’s Day and depending when you went, either no staff was wearing masks or all staff was wearing masks.

Perhaps we will start seeing ratings of mask/no mask in Yelp. I now view it as sanitary, like washing hands, and don't want people breathing on my food so will not eat at such a restaurant.

 

[Panina]

Perhaps we will start seeing ratings of mask/no mask in Yelp. I now view it as sanitary, like washing hands, and don't want people breathing on my food so will not eat at such a restaurant.

I will take out from places that follow suggested guidelines. My birthday cake was from a gluten free bakery. No masks on employees and I didn’t like what I saw with protocol so will not go there again. Today I went to take out from Starbucks and guidelines suggested was done.

This was a big conversation on my neighborhood Nextdoor with 1/2 saying stay at any home if you don’t like it, kind of like here. This was my 2cents.

”I think saying people should stay home misses the point. The people that want/need more precautions can be satisfied just as those who don’t. For the economy to be good, businesses need more customers. If staff wearing masks would make more customers comfortable, thus getting more business, that would be a good thing.”

IMO If food businesses want to survive they will need to follow suggested protocols for the 1/2 that require it. The mentality should be how do I get most of my customers back?

 

[GetawaysRus]

yes it's going to take a while for people to confidently get back to restaurant dining

I agree. First they scare the pants off us and tell us we need to shelter in place or we'll all be goners. It's the apocalypse. And now, like a game of hide and seek, we're hearing "come out, come out, wherever you are." Sorry, but I'm still hiding. I'm still too shell-shocked to come out of my hole, and there's probably many people who feel the same way.

I can live without going to restaurants. The key word in that last sentence is "live."

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I will take out from places that follow suggested guidelines. My birthday cake was from a gluten free bakery. No masks on employees and I didn’t like what I saw with protocol so will not go there again. Today I went to take out from Starbucks and guidelines suggested was done.

This was a big conversation on my neighborhood Nextdoor with 1/2 saying stay at any home if you don’t like it, kind of like here. This was my 2cents.

”I think saying people should stay home misses the point. The people that want/need more precautions can be satisfied just as those who don’t. For the economy to be good, businesses need more customers. If staff wearing masks would make more customers comfortable, thus getting more business, that would be a good thing.”

IMO If food businesses want to survive they will need to follow suggested protocols for the 1/2 that require it. The mentality should be how do I get most of my customers back?

Perhaps the one way to drive restaurants who don't want to comply is to write a negative Yelp review and cite the lack of masks. To your point that will fix the problem really quickly. They deserve to know why you won't return so they can correct the problem.

 

[pedro47]

I feel dine in restaurants will start using paper plates, paper cups, plastics glasses and plastics spoons and forks.

 

[PigsDad]

.

 

[PigsDad]

I feel dine in restaurants will start using paper plates, paper cups, plastics glasses and plastics spoons and forks.

Why? Do you think that dishwashers can't clean the glasses, plates and utensils? How does adding a bunch of garbage to our landfills help stop the spread of CV-19?

Kurt

 

[CalGalTraveler]

But in a different thread, you stated you were going to SIP until there was either a vaccine or herd immunity, so I really don't think you will be visiting any restaurant for the next couple of years (unless you were not serious in your other post).

Kurt

I don't believe it will take that long to get herd immunity or a treatment. Not eating out but if I did I wouldn't eat at a restaurant without staff wearing masks.

 

[Luanne]

Why? Do you think that dishwashers can't clean the glasses, plates and utensils? How does adding a bunch of garbage to our landfills help stop the spread of CV-19?

Kurt

There were restaurants who were planning to do this prior to being shut down completely. Why don't you ask them why.

 

[PigsDad]

There were restaurants who were planning to do this prior to being shut down completely. Why don't you ask them why.

Because they are not on this board. I'm sorry, can I not ask a follow up question to someone who posted on this thread? Are you now the posting police? Very confused as to why you responded to my post, as it provides absolutely no information.

Kurt

 

[Luanne]

Because they are not on this board. I'm sorry, can I not ask a follow up question to someone who posted on this thread? Are you now the posting police? Very confused as to why you responded to my post, as it provides absolutely no information.

Kurt

Well gosh, colored me confused. When I asked a question on another thread I was told to take it up somewhere else. I thought that maybe that was the new normal. And I DID provide information. I said there were restaurants that were planning on using disposable products before they got shut down completely. And why you would think anyone on these boards, unless they are in the restaurant business, would know why a restaurant would do that, I'm not sure. If you don't feel my comments add anything why not just ignore them.

 

[PigsDad]

Well gosh, colored me confused. When I asked a question on another thread I was told to take it up somewhere else. I thought that was the new normal. And I DID provide information. I said there were restaurants that were planning on using disposable products before they got shut down completely. And why you would think anyone on these boards, unless they are in the restaurant business, would know why a restaurant would do that, I'm not sure. If you don't feel my comments add anything why not just ignore them.

I guess you don't get it. I'll try to explain. I was directly asking another TUG member a specific question because they made a statement that restaurants should start using paper products, and you came in and basically berated me, saying that I should ask a restaurant owner. What, exactly, did that provide to the conversation? Good grief.

Kurt

 

[PigsDad]

Ok, @Luanne -- waiting for my next berating (as that seems to be the only thing you do / say to me).

Kurt