By Lakshya

Currently the major bustling food streets and the hoity-toity restaurants seem like a thing of past. Rather the industry seems to be on a shakier ground than suspected; the tight cashflow, high overloads and high reliance on tourism has painted a bleak picture of its recovery. Many quick-service restaurants (QSRs) which rely on borrowed funds and day to day income, without sufficient working capital, will be the biggest losers.

After the relaxations set in and the restaurants start to function at optimum capacity, the restaurateurs will be on an alien turf. Post crisis, a chunk of customers will be hesitant in dining-in. The customers will prefer the physical-distancing leading to increased curb-side pickups or home deliveries. They will be a much more wary and demanding customer, not necessary relating to the price or selection, but in regard to the perception of safety, cleanliness, and overall quality.

Post Covid, the restraints will have to bring a major overhaul in their business models. The QSRs will have to bring about a change in the design-layout of their restaurants; increasing spacing between tables and greater access to hygienic products. Cleanliness will be the differentiator and imperative will it be to make the customer know of it. Moreover, they can adopt “Transport-friendly” menu and using extra employees as the delivery personnel to avoid using food aggregator platforms and paying a hefty fee for it. The supply-chain will have to be revamped to adopt the method for tracking and reporting on all products from their point of creation or growth to the production facility, to the warehouse, to the broadliner, and finally to the restaurant. Also, maintaining customer-relationship through loyalty programmes, coupon discounts and especially hygiene assurances can be the crucial way forward.

This is an unchartered territory, and all signs point to the likelihood that the restaurants as we know are not coming back for a while. Hence, the restaurants will have to modify their strategy and simplify their working to adopt the new “Normal”.