MIND over MANNERS

New regulations for restaurants mean new expectations for diners. GEORGIE MEREDITH lays out the golden rules for group dining this party season.

Georgie Meredith sets out the group dining regulations here to keep you safe this silly season.

Party season is upon us – that time of year, kicking off in November, when elated summer gatherings merge with Christmas festivities and every day of the week feels like an occasion. Traditionally, it’s a time when friends, colleagues and loved ones gather in groups and descend upon our cities’ bars and restaurants to drink and dine, creating that infectious, flirtatious energy one might witness at a music festival.

This year, however, is looking a little different; restaurants across the country are required to comply with a new, uncompromising set of rules put in place by the Government to minimise the spread of Covid-19. This includes strict physical distancing and table restrictions in some states; alcohol can only be served to seated diners, menus must be laminated, and self-serve buffets are a definite no. There’s also a cap on the number of guests allowed to dine in a venue at any one time, with numbers differing from state to state.

Kane Way, operations manager at The Apollo in Sydney, believes understanding these regulations is the key to being a gracious guest in the current dining climate. “There are more regulations around restaurants than ever before, and that’s a big adjustment for the restaurant and the guests,” says Way. “But it’s about keeping everyone safe.”

It is with these new rules for restaurants that, consequently, another set emerges for diners, particularly those in groups. Here, with guidance from three front-ofhouse experts, we lay out the golden rules for group dining this party season.

SHOW UP

For restaurants, a no-show is always disappointing. But now, with such limited capacity, a group not turning up to their booking or cancelling last minute can seriously deplete a restaurant’s revenue. “It’s quite hard,” says Tasso Della Noce, general manager at Icebergs Dining Room & Bar in Sydney. “If someone goes onto a set menu, which is usually prepped and laid out beforehand, then you can’t really sell that à la carte,” he says. “We also staff for groups, so if there’s a cancellation or a no-show we have to send staff home.”

SELF-ASSESS

While cancelling last-minute can hurt, it’s important to note that if diners are not feeling well they should stay at home. “I think with larger groups, everyone needs to do that self-assessment before going out,” says Way. “I think that idea of not wanting to let your mates down or cancel because of a cold has all been turned on its head now. Everyone would prefer for you to stay at home if you felt like you had a bit of a sniffle.”

ARRIVE AT YOUR ALLOCATED TIME

Guests not arriving at their allocated time can lead to large crowds filtering out onto the streets; not only is this a health hazard, it can also result in the restaurant incurring a hefty fine. “If you’re in a large group and you arrive 15 minutes early, your table won’t be ready,” says Way. “You’re not legally allowed to wait inside, so you have to crowd onto the street and it just becomes a bit of a jigsaw.”

STAY SEATED

Rules are now in place to limit the amount of “mingling” within and between large groups. This requires guests to remain seated, with little to-ing and fro-ing between tables. “We are in a very communal area,” says Judith Hurley, general manager at Gerard’s Bistro in Brisbane. “When people used to walk past the restaurant, they would see someone they knew and pop in to say hello. They can’t do that now.”

OPT FOR THE SET MENU

Many restaurants, like Gerard’s Bistro, are exclusively offering a set menu, no matter the size of the dining party. For restaurants that are still offering à la carte, opting for a group set menu makes life a lot easier, for both diners and the restaurant. “The set menu is the way to go,” says Della Noce. “It makes the customer happy because things come out on time, and kitchen-wise they can prep and plan for it.”

RESPECT THE PROCEDURES

To ensure restaurants stay open, it’s imperative diners abide by the venue’s regulations. This means sanitising, signing in and expecting to have your temperature checked. “There’s an onus on the guest to understand that we’re not putting in these things to make people’s lives harder,” says Way. “We want everyone to come in and have a great time. But it’s about staying safe and working with the venue to make sure we all do the right thing.” ●