RE-opening Restaurants, what does that look like?

[Ziggythecat]

^
Grey Goose and Hydoxy ?

[Racerbvd]

[Crowbob]

Originally Posted by Ziggythecat

I'm more concerned with trying to find my appetite for a return to fine dining with all the new obstacles.

For 40 plus years it was a given that we would go out for dinner on Friday and Saturday, most often to smaller chef owned restaurants, and I just don't see how they are going to make it.
They can't triple their prices , and if you take the crowded out of restaurants , you take away the business model.

Also consider the cascade effect when all those restaurants just fold up and stop making payments on their leases in addition to the ensuing collapse of the restaurant equipment market.

[red-beard]

Went out last Friday night. They closed off a few sections and spread the tables about 10 feet apart. Staff was in masks & gloves the whole time. You are expected to wear your mask if you are not at your table.

Hand sanitizer at the entrance. And we carry spritzer bottles of 99% isopropanol.

[Ziggythecat]

One cough and it’ll be every man for himself to the exits
And if a restaurant has a sick employee, and has to notify customers...turn off the lights,

[Ziggythecat]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

Also consider the cascade effect when all those restaurants just fold up and stop making payments on their leases in addition to the ensuing collapse of the restaurant equipment market.

There is no good end to any of this.

[rcooled]

Many of the SF Bay Area's tech firms made a rather easy transition to a work-at-home business model, and see this trend continuing even after COVID fades away. All the small restaurants that relied heavily on their lunch business to stay afloat will be SOL and probably wind up folding. The cascading effects of this pandemic are just mind-boggling when you start to think about it

[Bill Douglas]

I went with my favorite eating (drinking) buddies and our GF's to our usual local on Thursday. Wow, were we welcomed back. It was the first night after the extreme lockdown levels were relaxed. We had my favorite waitress Zoe, I had my favorite meal, and a few drinks - and thought paradise. I have my life back. Zoe had been living with her Mom so she had been safe and having a good time. So all is well with my little world. The steak was good too

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

I went with my favorite eating (drinking) buddies and our GF's to our usual local on Thursday. Wow, were we welcomed back. It was the first night after the extreme lockdown levels were relaxed. We had my favorite waitress Zoe, I had my favorite meal, and a few drinks - and thought paradise. I have my life back. Zoe had been living with her Mom so she had been safe and having a good time. So all is well with my little world. The steak was good too

That's how I felt two weeks ago, like all was right with the world again. Had a nice dinner out with two other families and our kids on Thursday, great night on the patio of a local brewery that makes excellent pizza.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Ziggythecat

There is no good end to any of this.

I must say it's hard to tell if the fatalism is for real or for show.

Restaurants will find a solution before the end, another scary word. Crowded nightclubs are a different matter though but given it's mainly the younger crowd I think, might be OK there too.

Still stuck at home in SC county due to Queen Sara but will be going out immediately on opening.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Went out last Friday night. They closed off a few sections and spread the tables about 10 feet apart. Staff was in masks & gloves the whole time. You are expected to wear your mask if you are not at your table.

Hand sanitizer at the entrance. And we carry spritzer bottles of 99% isopropanol.

very similar to Oregon's Phase 2 - we also have a limit on total # in bar/restaurant and 10pm closing time

(high popn. counties - PDX - still in Phase 1)

[kevin993]

Restaurants have always had a difficult business model. 26%+ fail in the first year. 60% fail in the first three years. Even the profitable ones run 2-6% pre-tax margin. Re-opening with customer density limitations and higher food costs will be even more difficult.

SF has its own business environment issues, but this story and associated document makes for an interesting read:

https://sf.eater.com/2020/5/13/21257567/architects-coronavirus-seth-boor-tartine-dear-inga-delfina

[Crowbob]

It looks like many sit-down restaurants are gonna become more hassle than they’re worth in the eyes of both the restauranteur and the clientele.

Time will tell.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Ziggythecat

There is no good end to any of this.

Yeah there is. Convince the government pants-wetters to sftu and let us go back to work.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

It looks like many sit-down restaurants are gonna become more hassle than they’re worth in the eyes of both the restauranteur and the clientele.

Time will tell.

Several have already announced they will close permanently here. Very successful places too...this was just the thing that triggered their decision. I haven't been by recently, but while many take-out/delivery places have been cha-chinging here, a pizza franchise (owned my a former Pelican methinks) has been closed for some time now...purely by choice I suspect. I would have done the same....

[masraum]

Pretty much every place that we occasionally go to here in Houston has stayed open as a take-out place during this. Some have reopened since the governor said it was ok to open at 25%. Some decided it was easier to just stay take-out only.

[GH85Carrera]

We were bold and adventitious this morning. We went to the first dine-in restaurant since the Kunk Flu hit. They have a really good breakfast, and 1/2 the tables had a big black X on them to not sit there. It was no problem getting a table, as we were the only ones in the place. They do a few take out orders, but business is pretty slow for them. It was $22 for the food for the two of us, and I left a $10 tip.

[KFC911]

I saw where 51 Steak-N-Shakes were gonna close permanently.... but not the one near me. I can still get a greasy double cheeseburger & fries....leave a $5 tip at the drivethru....still for less than ten bucks .

I rarely go there....but they don't suck

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by KC911

I saw where 51 Steak-N-Shakes were gonna close permanently.... but not the one near me. I can still get a greasy double cheeseburger & fries....leave a $5 tip at the drivethru....still for less than ten bucks .

I rarely go there....but they don't suck

I have never eaten at one. Thanks for the tip. I have been pretty much just going to the Burger King drive through for a double whopper for $3...but I am cheap.

[KFC911]

Don't bother fint....I needed to go out earlier so I decided to drop by the one that has opened back up...it wasn't the same . I'm guessing they've lost their previous supply chain....burger & fries were both different....andnot that good either. I won't return....too many other good burger joints that aren't chains. Cook-Out is a local chain too... now expanded...better than Steak 'N Shake was fwiw.