A new way of eating out is on the menu

COMMENT

THERE is no doubt that things are going to look a bit different when we all start to go out into the big bad world again, whenever that happens to be.

And one of the areas where we should expect most change is likely to be in the hospitality sector.

Social distancing rules are going to make it impossible to behave the way we used to behave in pubs and restaurants, and publicans and restaurateurs are all working really hard to make sure that they can operate in a way that is safe but that also makes them profitable.

They will want to ensure that if they do open their doors, they have a steady stream of customers – and that these customers spend enough money to make it worth their while opening.

No problem, you might think, we’ve all been stuck at home for 12 weeks and are desperate to get out for a beer, a glass of wine or a nice meal but most places are likely to want more than a promise before they open.

We may have to be prepared to let landlords and restaurant owners see the colour of our money before we even set foot in their establishments.

I’m already seeing talk of “ticketing systems” being introduced, where customers have to pay in advance for their food and drink, that way ensuring an income stream for the already hard-pressed owners.

Maybe that’s no bad thing. Perhaps as consumers we’ll benefit from the ability to “bulk buy” if the ticketing system allows us to buy a number of meals at a specific restaurant over a set period of time, for example.

Before coronavirus kicked off, there were a number of restaurants that were asking customers to pay a deposit before their booking was due, so that the restaurant wasn’t hit by a no-show.

I think we’re likely to see that idea spread so that restaurants aren’t left with empty tables at the last minute, especially if they are operating with a lower number of covers to start with due to social distancing regulations.