Eateries liven up over lifting of dine-in curbs
GEORGE TOWN: The restaurant scene in Malaysia is getting lively again after the SOP under the movement control order was relaxed to allow more than two people to a table.
Bank officer Zarina Abdullah, 45, was seen with her two colleagues, having lunch here yesterday while catching up on work.
“We work on different floors and usually catch up during lunch, but since the MCO, we have not seen each other.
“This is usually the only time we can hang out as we have families to care for and do not have the time to meet up after work.
“Earlier when the government allowed two to a table, we decided not to meet up as there are three of us,” she said.
Analyst Christopher Cheah, 27, was seen having lunch with his colleague Jason Ng, 30, after more than a month.
“We usually have our meals together but since the MCO, we just order food in. It’s nice to be out and eat at a restaurant.
“Simple things like this which we took for granted have become a luxury now,” he said.
Amanda Tan, 39, was also excited to be dining with her colleagues.
“There are four of us who have always enjoyed going out for a good hearty lunch over the years. It is great that we can now grab a meal with colleagues, instead of just eating at our desks,” said the engineer.
On Thursday, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the lifting of the twopersons-per-table and two-peopleper-car ruling for the states that are currently under MCO.
Other than restaurant operators, NGOs have also been appealing for refinements to the rules, with Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, chairman for the Alliance for Safe Community, among those who has been calling on the National Security Council to refine its position for restaurants.
A restaurant owner in Johor Baru, Arthur Chiam, 42, said it was a timely decision that will significantly help the food and beverage industry stay afloat.
“We saw a slight difference on the first day (yesterday) after the two persons per table rule was relaxed. It was not a drastic change,
but enough to help improve business.
“For now, we allow a maximum of four to sit at one table, depending on the size of the table.
“This will at least allow families to dine together, instead of having to sit at different tables,” he said, adding he will continue to monitor customer’s compliance to the SOP.
Another Johor restaurant manager, Cindy Yong, 53, said the relaxation of dining regulations was long awaited.
“I believe the latest ruling on dining will bring more impactful improvement, though it is still too
soon to see the improvements. But I am certain it will help boost business in the long run.
“We expect to see better sales in the weeks to come, especially as the Chinese New Year celebration is still ongoing,” she said.
Another restaurant owner, Tan Kim Hock, 59, said he hopes the relaxation will improve business by at least 10%.
“I am grateful for the decision, especially as it was announced during a typically peak season for restaurants. It will take some time for people to come back to restaurants, but this is a good start,” he said.