This article will talk about coping during covid-19 for restaurants and provide some tips on how to do so. Covid-19 also known as the coronavirus is seriously impacting the restaurant industry and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Consumers are being warned to distance themselves from others and unfortunately that includes dining out in restaurants and bars.

However, even with this impact there are ways that restaurants can come out the other side of this pandemic. At the end of the day, people still need food. This article will show you how you can cope with this impact and come out on top. 

Coping With Covid-19 For Restaurants: Reach Housebound Customers

The number one best way to cope with the covid-19 pandemic is adopting an online ordering solution. The reality of the situation is people do not want to leave their homes and in addition, the government is encouraging them not to.

If you do not have an online ordering solution, you will lose a large percentage of your customers during this time and as a result, you will lose money. 

In addition, we have no idea how long this pandemic will last. If there was ever a time to jump on the trend of online food ordering, it is now. Your customers need you to provide online ordering and food delivery. In this kind of a crisis, online ordering is a must. 

Coping With Covid-19 For Restaurants: Provide Contactless Payments

People still need food and this is not limited to the grocery store. They are still doing their every day tasks, the only difference is that it is all from their home. Consumers want convenience more than right now whether that be food to their door or visiting the restaurant to collect.

Be sure to encourage contactless payments for your customers. If you do not know what contactless payments are, they are card only payments. A cashless payment scheme will limit the risk of exchanging germs. By doing so, you protect both your customers and staff.

You can encourage your customers to pay through digital payment options also such as Google Pay, Apple Pay or PayPal. Also, you can extend normal delivery practices to a contactless system also.

Therefore, you just have to ask your customers to collect their food from a designated location outside their home. In addition, your delivery driver should keep a 2 metre distance between the customer and themselves. 

Coping With Covid-19 For Restaurants: Loyalty and Promotions

It may still be challenging to encourage customers to order from your restaurant as many consumers are instilled with fear. A way to encourage customers to support your business during this crisis is offering loyalty programmes and promotions.

In our normal everyday life, consumers love a good deal, so in these circumstances it is heightened. It is beneficial to your cash flow to offer these programmes and offers. You cannot take customer loyalty for granted. 

Just because you had customers before this crisis does not mean they are just waiting for you when this is over. If you are not providing them with loyalty and promotions during this time, someone else is. 

They are going to steal your customers by being there for them when you were not. Do not sit back and expect everything to go back to normal when we come out the otherside, you will not have your old reliables waiting for you.

Their habits, tastes and loyalty’s could be changed by whoever was there to service them when they needed it the most. Don’t get left behind. 

Importance of Online Facilities in This Climate

It is absolutely essential to offer your customers an online ordering platform during this time. If you do not, you will lose a large chunk of your customers and your money.

You can also tap into digital ordering tools such as self service kiosks. They will offer an alternative to in-store ordering and reduce human interaction. Therefore, consumers are dealing directly with the screen, not staff members.

In addition, ensure you remind your customers to wash or sanitise their hands after touching the screen and ask your staff to clean it regularly. If the crisis gets worse, a self-service kiosk may be the only staff you can rely on as staff shortages may become acute. 

Make Use of Digital Tools to Communicate with Customers

Coping during covid-19 for restaurants means communicating with your customers. Ensure you make use of all the available digital tools in order to keep your customers updated. This includes your website, app, social media, push notifications and text messages. Remember, this is the time to over-communicate with your customers and set their expectations accordingly. 

Conclusion

This article discussed coping during covid-19 for restaurants and provided some tips on how to do so. The bottom line to getting through this crisis is online ordering. This way you will be able to reach housebound customers, encourage contactless payments and increase your cash flow during a time where people are social distancing. However, be sure to partner with the right online ordering solution for your business.

Menuu online ordering is a flat rate model with no commissions. In addition, it will provide your customers with an easy ordering process, help you build loyalty and keep your customer data. This guide will help your restaurant continue business during this pandemic.