Brisk Banquets: Every minute counts
How restaurants are enforcing time limits in lieu of Covid-19
By now, we’re all aware of the capacity limits that restaurants not only in America, but across the world are subject to. As part of the ‘new normal’ with its numerous regulations and hygiene protocols, restaurants have become more cognisant of a factor that perhaps confounded them well before a global pandemic was afoot—improving table churn.
Hospitality is all about making your guests feel welcome. As an industry, we go out of our way to service our patrons in a manner that ensures the most comfortable and seamless experience. How do we now tell them that they must finish their meal within a stipulated timeframe? It may seem inconceivable, but these are unprecedented times, and it calls for unprecedented measures. After all, it could be a matter of life and death for your establishment.
After delving into contextual research, observing how some establishments have gone about this and generally analysing consumer behaviour, here are some tips on how to best implement time-limits at your restaurant:
Communicate
Ensure that your customers are aware of the new restrictions. Be it 90 minutes or two hours, never try to assume what the timeline of your guest’s experience might be. Communicate your new policy well in advance, perhaps at the time they make a reservation itself. Don’t be shy to repeat yourself. Let the concierge inform them once they arrive and the server remind them before taking the order—the more mindful you make them, the less opportunity you give them to cause a dreaded ‘scene’.
Trim the Menu
You may not want to serve items that take ages to prepare, but if you must, how about having your patrons place their orders for these specific dishes a day in advance? We’ve learned that at restaurants like Boka Group’s Girl & the Goat, small plates are now paired together rather than brought out separately for the table, and dessert options have been limited and flagged at the beginning of the meal. In the past, servers would recite the dessert menu at the end of dinner, which could add 20 minutes or more!
Information source: The Wall Street Journal
Relocate the Lingerers
We’ve all been cooped up at home for far too long, so it’s understandable that your customers may want to spend a leisurely evening out. According to Datassential, 29% of diners said that they prefer to stay out longer than they did before Covid-19. With bars closed, a lot of these ‘lingerers’ stick around for drinks. The solution—politely redirect them to the bar seating, or a designated area you may conceive for this purpose.
Diners, this is a time for togetherness. While we understand the appeal of a luxurious meal at your favourite restaurant, we urge you to be mindful of the livelihoods that depend on restaurant profitability. After all, if they can’t make ends meet, they will cease to exist—and that benefits no one at all. Help out in the small ways you can: peruse the menu online so that you can place your order expeditiously, make a reservation and show up on time, and adhere to the established timeframe (lets face it, few establishments would force their patrons to leave).
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