The “Unlock” might have allowed pubs and restaurants to open their doors to the public—albeit with restrictions like 50% occupancy—but people have been slow to pour in and dine out. To do away with the doubts about eating out during a pandemic, and keep their finances afloat, restaurateurs are going the extra mile to ensure that diners feel safe and welcome at their establishments again.
DÉCOR FOR DISTANCING
Places like Ophelia and Dragonfly Experience have been given a facelift to draw in more people. Dragonfly Experience, which claims to be the first restaurant in India to change its interiors to suit social distancing norms, has been fortified with durable private dining pods to make people feel more protected. “The partitions, walkways between them and the area needed to allow the swing of the doors of each pod eats up the floor space of the restaurant, but it’s worth it if it helps reassure people and keep them safe,” said Priyank Sukhija, MD and CEO of First Fiddle Pvt Ltd, which is responsible for Dragonfly Experience. Akshay Anand also thought out of the box and came up with outdoor air-conditioned glass cabanas for Ophelia. “We have also doubled the number of curtains between the cabanas to create an extra barricade,” he said.
Despite the losses faced during the lockdown, restaurateurs are not shying away from spending to ensure the comfort and safety of diners. The pods at Dragonfly Experience have been designed with transparent acrylic walls and an open top to not make diners feel claustrophobic. Meanwhile, Ophelia has reopened with a completely new look in celebration of autumn. “It did cost us a lot, but we wanted to give our guests a fresh dining experience after living through months of stress,” admitted Anand.
EAT MORE, SAVE MORE
Given that people are more conscious of not just their health but also their pockets now, restaurants are offering lucrative discounts as well. “While customers have started stepping out, something extra from our side surely entices them more,” said Sukhija, who has introduced a variety of offers across his establishments. Molecule Air Bar, with spaces in both Delhi and Gurgaon, has also designed a scheme where patrons receive a payback of 50% on their total bills. Founder Manish Sharma said, “Diners will be able to enjoy meals at half prices. This is designed to encourage people to visit restaurants.”
Before the pandemic hit the F&B industry, a significant portion of its patrons were people dropping by for a round of drinks after work or on the weekends. Thus, it is no surprise that bringing back happy hours is also a popular strategy. Umang Tewari, founder of Big Fish Ventures, which owns Junkyard Cafe and Local in Delhi and Sexy Soda in Gurgaon, said, “We are the worst-affected because corporates are working from home, which has affected 25% of our patronage. Which is why we are doing happy hours at all of my places till 8 pm and complimentary cocktails for women on Ladies’ Nights.” Sukhija is also giving away 1+1 offers on drinks at Plum, 6 shots for the price of 1 at Dragonfly and free cocktails on Ladies’ Night at Diablo to draw his customers back.
MEALS WITH MUSIC
Kanishk Tuteja of Nukkad Cafe & Bar highlighted a peculiar situation where people are afraid to step out of their homes but also sick of staying in. So, besides following a happy hours policy till 7 pm every day, Nukkad is organising live events to invite customers. “We were famous for our live nights and we want people to embrace the same Nukkad again. So, at night, we have live music by young and talented artists to keep up spirits,” he said.
According to a survey of over 4,000 people by online ticketing platform BookMyShow, 40% of its respondents were looking forward to attending drive-in concerts or concerts in small groups while keeping social distancing. In such a case, live musical performances might be helpful in luring people back to bars and restaurants. “This surely adds on to the costs,” admits Tuteja, “but this way, we make sure that customers who are coming to us have a good experience and go back with the intention of revisiting.”
THE POWER OF ONLINE PROMOTIONS
Regular updates and contests on social media are also part of the plan for drawing in more diners. Umang Tewari talked about how they are running campaigns for Sexy Soda on social media which let users engage with the brand and take back rewards. “We are using the power of social media a lot to reach our target audience, and contests help us spread awareness about our brands and create recall value,” he explained.
Besides contests and discounts, cafes and restaurants are also using platforms like Instagram to spread news of them reopening, announce menu changes, offer a glimpse behind-the-scenes to share their safety protocols or simply post photos of their delicious food and charming interiors to tempt customers into walking in. Small and independent eateries are also capitalising on the potential of a well-shot and well-timed Instagram post and how fast it can travel to thousands of users. Fig and Maple has been using the hashtag #SeeYouAtFig and urging people to support small businesses, while college student favourite Ama Café has been calling patrons back with regular snaps of their signature pancakes and breakfast spread.
Months of lockdown, cash crunches, staff shortages, decreased footfall and strict precautions have taken a toll on restaurants, but they are not letting it dampen spirits or keep them from doing their best to welcome back customers. “Times are tougher but all we want is to bring back some laughter while accepting the new normal,” said Manish Sharma.