When the opening of the economy is discussed on a state or national level, restaurants are always near the top of the list. Add in the increasingly limited prospects that will be available to us for leisure after things reopen and it is easy to see why. However, the focus of the restaurant reopening discussion does not seem to be on the consumer. It is about the survival of the restaurant owner, followed by the restaurant worker.
Meanwhile, we consumers have taken to takeout. It has done nothing short of bringing many restaurants back to life. More eateries are reopening for takeout every day. And consumers and business owners alike say takeout is not likely to go away after this is over. Of course, there is nothing that can take the place of dining out. Whether we choose to get away for a quick bite or spend time lingering at a favorite table, our restaurants and the industry as a whole are vital, even now.
Restaurants are no less than our food supply. That is reason enough that they must survive and the reason they will survive. If we consider that there are now two generations that largely never learned how to cook, it becomes easier to understand how we utterly depend on places that prepare and serve food and drink – be it coffee, burgers, burritos or banh mi.
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RARING TO GO: Sam Glynn, owner of Chomp Kitchen & Drinks in Warren, says he’s going to build on Chomp’s takeout service when the economy reopens. / COURTESY CHOMP KITCHEN & DRINKS[/caption]
Sam Glynn is the proprietor of the popular Chomp Kitchen & Drinks in Warren and is in a holding pattern to open a second location on the East Side of Providence. “We [are] totally transparent with our guests,” Glynn said, “letting them know we are forever grateful … while [they are] understanding we have a super-small staff in here turning out a ton of food!”
Glynn now has proof that “everyone in Rhode Island wants to eat dinner at the same time” with hundreds of to-go orders daily, all with the same pickup time – usually 6:30 p.m. That does cause some delays, but Glynn acknowledged that it’s a good problem to have, although stressful nonetheless.
So how does food service emerge from this unprecedented ordeal?
Robert I. Burke of Pot au Feu in Providence said the future of restaurants depends on the future of social distancing. “You can’t wear a mask to eat and drink,” he noted.
Burke called the idea of cutting restaurant capacity by 50% or 75% to create more room between diners “unsustainable,” and he is watching restaurants in other states reopen to see what the effects will be.
Second-generation restaurateur Ted Karousos has a comprehensive plan for reemerging at his Blue Plate Diner in Middletown. It is built around a simple concept: make the customer feel safe. He said there should be universal training of staff and management in cleaning, sanitation, social distancing, and servers should wear masks. He envisions an industry certification for food safety similar to the alcohol-serving training program called TIPS. Restaurant owners should undergo cleaning inspections similar to fire-suppression inspections that are now required, perhaps leading to a New York City-style letter-grade placard in the front window. The key, Karousos said, is to create a sense of emotional well-being for the customer. Only then will business come back completely. Once it does, he predicted restaurateurs could recover within 90 days.
Karousos said takeout is here to stay. Glynn concurred. “We are actually doubling down on our ‘car hop’ service” in the future, he said. Glynn and Karousos would each like to have partial traffic-free streets leading to expanded outdoor seating, which would cover their reduced capacity.
There are some nationally who are demanding a federal government bailout of the restaurant industry. Others say that the real solution is for the industry to come to grips with its own long-overlooked inconsistent and unsustainable business practices that have led to substandard wages and benefits. Gov. Gina M. Raimondo has pledged that the state will assist short term if federal aid is not forthcoming. Most everyone agrees that however this turns out, we will be observing restrictions, rules and different practices for some time to come.
Bruce Newbury’s “Dining Out” radio talk show is heard Saturdays at 11 a.m. on 1540 AM WADK, on radio throughout New England, through various mobile applications and his podcast. Email Bruce at Bruce@brucenewbury.com.