How Food Outlets Adapted during Lockdown

Pub offering takeaway food

It is undeniable that the whole of the hospitality industry heavily relies on the human touch to add that something extra to the services and products offered. During Coronavirus and following the social distancing measures that have then been introduced, all restaurants and pubs have been hit hard. However, the industry is also known for the high resilience it continues to show – and that’s where the takeaway service comes in!

Customers might not be able to go out for dinner but gifting ourselves with a romantic candlelight dinner at home or enjoying a takeaway with your little ones has never been so needed.

What Has Changed?
The Coronavirus has had an unpredictable impact on many aspects of our lives, one area hardest hit was of course our social lives. Going out for dinner or meeting friends in the pub for a drinks a catch up, is often the highlight of anybody’s week. This is where food service establishments had to re-think their offering, many of which turned to offering a takeaway service to help retain business during lockdown.

Today, restaurants and pubs have started to reopen and personnel have returned to work. There are still of course (every changing) restrictions in place to help protect customers and staff alike.

Why Introduce a Takeaway Service?

If before Covid-19 many restaurants and certainly pubs didn’t offer any kind of takeaway or delivery service. For many this was an industry in itself, often for the fast food industry, such as fish and chips, pizza, indian and chinese meals. Even with the recent Government scheme Eat Out to Help Out, many customers are still a little sceptical about sitting in a restaurant. At the same time, there is no need for a restaurant to miss out on that revenue – if it knows how to adapt!

Delivery and takeaway services are a useful way to close the gap between any food business and its customers. Everything from gourmet restaurants to local pubs have diversified into the world of takeaway and delivery. Some of which will continue to offer this service. For those that haven’t extended their offering to take away food, it’s still something worth considering.

A well-thought takeaway or delivery service can help you reach those customers who are not willing to dine out just yet. If they can enjoy all their favourite dishes from the comfort of their homes, they might even do so more often in the future.

The Benefits of Takeaway Services

  • It is inexpensive for a restaurant to run, once all the material is in place
  • It can help you regain that revenue you are currently missing
  • It is essential to keep serving the most loyal customers, who are likely to be the first ones back in your restaurants in a less-critical situation.
  • Takes away the stress for people concerned about going into a pub or restaurant.
  • Without childcare or schools, many families might need a little help when it comes down to getting meals ready – close this market gap!
  • Older adults without help might benefit from delivery services too.