Restaurants are getting hit hard during the pandemic. People are not going out to eat as much. On top of that, many states are asking businesses like restaurants to close their doors. Still, a few restaurants out there are seizing the moment and turning a negative into a positive.
The following are five ways local restaurants are adapting to these difficult times:
The Alcohol Advantage
Some alcohol laws have relaxed a bit during the pandemic. This allows restaurants to deliver alcohol instead of selling it within their premises. People are ordering in more often, so this was the only way to satisfy their customers. Several businesses are taking advantage of this by promoting alcohol and might invest in higher priced alcoholic beverages to get more out of every order that’s placed. This is one way to stay afloat, mostly if the restaurant was already selling alcohol.
Making Repairs
One thing many restaurant owners are doing is making repairs or even updating their kitchens or dining rooms. Whether it’s doing a Google search for ‘tile contractors near me’ or calling around to find replacement parts for an industrial-grade mixer made in 1975, now’s the time to get started. A big reason restaurants fall behind on repairs and maintenance is they rarely close for longer than a day at a time. The ongoing downtime means it’s the perfect time for restaurants to do updates. This is especially good for restaurants that are still filling takeout orders because they’ll still work while these repairs or updates are being done.
Increasing Prices
Everyone knows that restaurants are struggling. Folks who are going to restaurants right now know they’re helping. People want to support restaurants, and restaurant owners know this, which is why many of them are raising their prices. They are doing this to survive the pandemic, and ensure their employees continue to have a job. People are willing to accept a price hike right now, and restaurant owners are taking advantage of that. Hopefully, they are eager to bring prices back to normal when this is all over, though.
The Mobile Game
Restaurants struggling to get their mobile apps to take off are no longer struggling as much. More folks are willing to download apps from the restaurants they love so that they can see menus, order food, and pay so that they don’t have to touch anything. It takes a considerable amount of money to create a useful app, and getting customers to try these apps isn’t easy. The pandemic has created a demand that many restaurant owners are taking advantage of. With an app, restaurant owners can push sales and specials more effectively.
The Outdoor Design
Restaurants in hot spots are trying to take advantage of their ability to serve food outside. This means they have to design interesting or fun outdoor seating situations. While some are just placing a few seats and tables outside, some take advantage of the situation. They are doing this by creating an outdoor seating environment that’s enticing to folks, like placing mini-greenhouses outside their restaurants to accommodate guests while keeping them safe from others.
These are some ways restaurants are taking advantage of the situation everyone is dealing with. It’s easy to see that some folks had to make lemonade out of lemons.
