Every day we are one step closer to the post-pandemic future, and we will surely see several changes in restaurants around the country. After struggling to keep their business alive, restaurant owners had to innovate and transform their equipment and working environment. Here are 5 changes in restaurants caused by the Pandemic that are here to stay. Some of the changes are here to stay, as outdoor dining and contact-free payment. Here we can read more about the creative approaches we might see throughout 2021.
Even after we step into a post-pandemic future, the restaurant scene has been forever changed — the COVID crisis taught the whole industry important lessons that will endure through 2021 and beyond. Here are a few of the positive transformations wrought by COVID that will outlive the crisis. According to restaurateurs themselves these are 5 changes in restaurants caused by the pandemic that are here to stay.
5 changes in restaurants caused by the pandemic that are here to stay:
Packaged food delivery
1. Packaged foods
During 2020, many chefs and restaurateurs found themselves packaging their signature items and selling them online. Some have even created their own mini-line of frozen foods or identified their most travel-hardy items and made them available for shipping across the United States. Chef-made meal kits became a staple that will likely stick around. “We began shipping our gluten-free and vegan cakes nationwide, as well as our microbiome-friendly soups, jams, and more,” Mee McCormick, chef and founder of Pinewood Kitchen & Mercantile in Nunnelly,
2. Better, more frequent communication
Relationships are a big part of what makes a restaurant special. Regulars know the servers, bartenders, and managers at their favorite places. The best hospitality pros understand how to create an immediate connection with diners, even if their visit is a one-off event. With these in-person points of contact limited, restaurants have had to double down on other ways to keep their customers close. Often, that shift has meant more virtual togetherness.
3. A more flexible hospitality
Going forward, this heightened emphasis on personalized hospitality may in some cases take over for those “no substitution” policies as restaurants fight for each and every customer. It’s all the more reason that diners must show extra gratitude toward restaurants right now as they work increasingly hard to deliver above-and-beyond hospitality. These changes, even if seemingly small, come with significant labor from restaurants.
Swanky sidewalk cafés are a wonderful new addition to the dining scene
4. Swanky sidewalk cafes
Outdoor dining took on incredible new importance in 2020, often being the lifeline for restaurants. In places where indoor dining was off limits for much of the year, restaurants went to great lengths to create safe, comfortable atmospheres for al fresco tables. Whether that meant adding heat lamps, creating “streeteries,” building partial enclosures, investing in seat warmers, or some combination, outdoor dining leveled up. Many cities celebrated the positive energy and life it brought to the streets.
Touch free payment
5. Contact-free payment
Everyone loves convenience. The events of 2020 underscored this fact, as many restaurants shifted to more user-friendly online ordering and payment services to enable contactless transactions. Honey Salt’s Blau believes contact-free payment and menu solutions such as QR codes will be with us beyond the pandemic because of its ease for diners — both in the restaurant and for takeout. Prepaying for takeout and unique experiences and events are also likely here to stay — both offerings that are available on OpenTable.
If you’re looking for delightful recipes, you are in the right place! Join us on our culinary travels and experience dishes from all over the country. Follow us at https://www.facebook.com/
(Reference: https://blog.opentable.com/2021/restaurant-innovations-pandemic/)
