Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Dining ‘out’ when staying in
As restaurants and bars across Northwest Arkansas have closed their doors for dine-in service amid the public health crisis surrounding COVID-19, a population accustomed to the freedom of dining out for special occasions or as part of daily life has found they must make adjustments. However, it’s still possible to enjoy the offerings of your favorite restaurants with a number of different options. Local restaurants have made some dramatic changes in an effort to meet the needs of their customers.
· Oven-ready meals: Some restaurants are offering oven-ready meals that fully prepared dishes that customers need only heat up at home.
· Deep discounts: Certain businesses are cutting prices on menu items in order to generate revenue.
· Delivery options: thanks to thirdparty delivery services like GrubHub, BiteSquad and DoorDash, even restaurants without their own in-house delivery service can accommodate delivery orders. Cellphone apps make ordering online easy.
· Curbside pick-up: in addition to regular delivery service, many restaurants are offering the option to pick up meals curbside, and will bring your to-go food out to your car.
· Delivered beer and wine: Businesses with on-premise liquor licenses might be able to deliver corked or sealed wine and beer and offer it for takeout. In March, the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control issued a rule allowing restaurants and microbrewery restaurants to temporarily sell beer and wine for off-site consumption with the purchase of food. The new rule does not include the sale of mixed drinks.
· To-go party plans: Chuck E. Cheese restaurants have launched new to-go birthday packages for six children that include takeout pizza, birthday cake and goodie bags along with paper goods and utensils. Also included are Chuck E. Cheese tickets redeemable at a later date when restaurants reopen.
· Pre-packaged favorites: Certain chain restaurants have long offered frozen selections of their popular appetizers and other dishes. When at the supermarket, check the freezer section for items from restaurants like TGI Fridays® and PF Chang’s®.
Takeout has become the new norm as people are urged to stay home instead of dining out in crowds. Support your local restaurant and take advantage of new ways to dine out while staying in.