The PM Boris Johnson announced yet another round of restrictions yesterday as the nation gears up for Christmas.
With face masks and working from home encouraged yet again, this will continue to have a negative impact on restaurant owners and vendors in the main cities, who have probably just emerged from the last round of restrictions.
With restaurant owners likely to suffer from the huge loss of footfall and potential Christmas socials, restaurant entrepreneurs will need to be creative to maximise their profits and even keep their businesses afloat. Below are just some of the things that restaurant owners might need to do.
Return of meal kits and stay at home meals
The do-it-your-own meal kits became a big thing in the first lockdown back in March 2020 and with a more restricted holiday season ahead, they are likely to make a comeback.
Now available from a number of leading chains and restaurants, you can receive all the ingredients and follow the recipe to make a restaurant quality meal. From Thai cuisine to Indian to Italian, this is a popular option for work teams, whether it is a gift or something that they can all do together on Zoom.
For restaurant owners, they will need to be hot on the mark again, creating new recipes and boxes, whilst getting all the food preparation, vacuum packed, and ready to ship off the customers. With the right price points, this can be a very profitable opportunity to help recover from the loss of footfall.
Special offers and subscriptions
Restaurant owners need to be smart and adapt. With a loss of Christmas bookings, they should be clever and offer discounts or freebies to come back in the new year when restrictions are eased again.
In terms of subscriptions, some chains such as Pret a Manger have been proactive, offering a very cheap coffee subscription that includes 5 drinks at just £20 per month, with the first month free. Of course, the vendor realises that some people will only purchase one or two drinks each month, but with good margins on coffee and a smart cash flow opportunity, this is a clear example of restaurant owners thinking on their feet.
Ramp up the hygiene, yet again
For those hygiene-conscious customers, it is a time for restaurant managers to maybe increase the hygiene levels.
If these were not present already in bars and restaurants, it might be time to introduce screen dividers between tables, scheduled sitting times to avoid mixing, and even hygienic spray times in between meals to reduce infection rates.
What is essential is that the company not only implements these changes but makes customers aware of this through social media and email marketing. There is even an opportunity to go overboard with hygienic solutions – and this could even be a great PR opportunity!
Specialist takeaway menus
One creative idea by some restaurants is to create a specialist takeaway Christmas menu, which might include 5 courses plus drinks, and have this delivered to your door.
Whether it is households or businesses who are looking to enjoy a festive meal together, this can provide a 5-star quality meal and offer great margins for the restaurant who do not have to pay for staff or other overheads.
Covid presents huge challenges for the hospitality industry, but with the right creativity, this could be one of the best Christmases yet to come.
