Page 6 - SAPOA COVID19 Restaurant Guidelines

HOW CAN LANDLORDS HELP?
HOW CAN LANDLORDS HELP?
Whilst the the the natural inclination may be to to to to to adapt quickly to to to to to the the the changing needs of customers and and staff to to to to to maintain sales and and and provide a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a valuable service the the the reality is that many operators would likely plan for an an an an an an an extra two to to to four weeks after easing of restrictions to to to gauge consumer patterns and and fully institute best practices before resuming business This time could be used for landlords and and restaurants to collaborate on the following:
Outreach
There are many many different aspects to to marketing efforts which can take many many forms One solution is to to to to reach
out to to to local customers and update them on on on the the the safety precautions being implemented at at the the the the the restaurant to to reassure them they can come back It also makes sense to to to ask local residents for for their support for for the the the the businesses particularly those customers who are regulars Using neighbourhood contacts and doing emails blasts can help restaurants increase business Along with upfront notices regular website updates social media communication etc both landlords and and tenants can collaborate towards finding workable solutions Create Outdoor Dining Areas
While in in in in many places in-house dining will be limited for for the the foreseeable future to prevent the the spread of infection creating or or or or or expanding restaurants’ outdoor dining areas can can partially make up for that reduced capacity Shopping centre centre owners can can work local municipalities to to use centre centre parking lots and sidewalks to to to create outdoor dining areas providing they adhere to to to the the applicable zoning conditions Of course social distancing guidelines will will have to to remain in in in in in in in place in in in in in in outdoor areas as as as as well as as as as indoors This will will also be subject to the provision of current lease arrangements with tenants Stagger Operating Hours for the Centre’s Restaurants
For retail centers that house multiple restaurant tenants perhaps coordinating their operating hours is is important so that they are not all open at at at at at the the the same time This can can help limit sales cannibalization and ensure that all of the the tenants benefit from the the centre’s shopper traffic Encourage Them to Pare Down the Menu
A simplified restaurant restaurant menu can can help restaurant restaurant operators in in in several ways One it it can can can cut down on food waste and aid in in in in in reducing expenses Two it it can can improve operating efficiency allowing the restaurant restaurant to to speed up customer turnaround Some restaurants have already started doing this For example the US national chain Red Robbin Gourmet Burgers has has reduced its menu by 55 items a a a a a a a a move that has has has reportedly worked so well the company has has no plans of bringing those COVID-19 RESTAURANT GUIDELINES
items back The latest Regulations also recommend reducing menu sizes where possible Suggest Reducing Staff Hours This may be a a a a a a a a a a rather difficult step to take but slashing down overall operating expenses can help restaurant operators stay financially viable and that includes cutting labour costs when it won’t negatively impact sales levels Review Customer Traffic Patterns and Encourage Corresponding Staggering of Staff Hours Restaurant owners should also be encouraged to examine their sales data by day day of of the the the the week and and hour of of the the the the day day and and vary staffing levels based on how busy the the the the restaurant gets during specific times Faster Customer Turnover
A way to to to to make up up for sales lost to to to to restrictions on on dining capacity is to to to to to speed up up the time time it it takes to to to to to serve each
customer especially during peak traffic times like lunch and and dinner To achieve that goal restaurant owners will have to to to look at at at their operations and and possibly make make physical changes to to to kitchen layouts to to to make make them more efficient downsize dining stations stations (smaller stations stations take less time to serve than larger ones) and institute tablet menus that use QR codes instead of paper ones ones for ordering ordering which can both cut down on on on the the potential spread of infection and speed up the the ordering ordering process Disposable Menus
Provide disposable menus menus to to guests and make menus menus available digitally so so that customers can view on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a personal electronic device if possible If disposable menus menus cannot be be provided properly disinfect menus menus before and after customer customer use Consider options for for customers to to to order ahead of time Since printing disposable menus menus aren’t ideal given the rising costs contactless QR Code menus menus are are a a a a a a a a a a a a a viable option It takes less less than a a a a a a a a a a a a a a minute to to upload a a a a a a a a a a a a a a menu menu in in in in the PDF format and and convert it it into a a a a a a a a a a a a QR Code but it it goes a a a a a a a a a a a a long way in in in in in keeping customers engaged and and safe Promote Gift Cards
Purchasing a a a a a a a a a a a gift card is a a a a a a a a a a a great way for customers to to support a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a restaurant even if if if they can't leave
their homes A gift card acts as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a temporary loan by providing immediate financial support Guests can use the the the the gift gift certificate at at at at at a a a a a a a a a a a a later date or or gift gift it to to someone they know in fin in in in financial need Perhaps link these to to other promotions in fin in in your shopping centre 4 CONTENTS PAGE