When the pandemic struck, it left the nation crippled. Many businesses were forced to stop, and for independent business owners, this was devastating. No customers = No income after all. This was the reality for many restaurant owners in the heart of New York. However, restaurants are now beginning to open up again, but why? And what does this mean for us, the consumers?
New York Restaurants are Starting to Open – Here are the New Normal in Dining
The virus is still a big problem, so what does this mean? This means that because of this adversity, these restaurants had no choice but to open. That doesn’t mean that ordering and getting food from them is unsafe, though. With that in mind, here are the new norms to keep in mind when dining outside!
What Should We Expect To Happen?
This is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you hear that your favorite New York restaurants are re-opening after two months of being closed. Mainly because everyone is incredibly cautious because of the pandemic. Is going outside for a meal, even safe or worth it?
Of course, everyone should expect a drastic change in both security and scenery. Although most restaurants in New York operate mainly through taking out orders, there are some restaurants where you can dine in. However, it’s more advisable to go for taking out mostly to take precautions.
Expect the restaurants to be paranoid when it comes to safety and for the service to be cautious. This is for the protection of both you and the service crew as well.
Why Did Restaurants Open Now?
It has a lot to do with stacking rent costs and their loss of income and revenue. At the start of the virus, significant cities became riddled with carriers, and they had no choice but to close up shop. It was simply too dangerous for them and the customers.
However, it’s been two months since restaurants closed up, and they simply can’t sustain the loss without opening back up. These restaurants don’t want to open, but they don’t have a choice.
This doesn’t mean that they’re not taking precautions, though. All of the recently reopened restaurants prioritize the safety and wellness of their employees and customers!
What is the “New Normal?”
Well, a lot has changed because of the pandemic. This isn’t going to be like before where all you do is to step in or get a reservation and then order food. The process of ordering and dining has changed for the safety of everyone.
For one, people are opting for home-cooked meals or canned food because they’re safer indoors. It’s going to take a while before people are even going to consider going to restaurants. Another example of these changes in the norms is the fact that dining is no longer an option for some restaurants. Without proper precautions, a restaurant can be dangerous. Thus, some restaurants choose to be more safe than sorry by only letting people order for taking out. Also, a lot of online food delivery apps are becoming more and more popular because of the takeout trend!
For restaurants that do allow people to dine in, though, the process is a lot more extensive.
Customers have to walk in and get their body temperature checked, seats have a considerable distance between them, servers wear face shields, and hand out Clorox wipes to the customers.
The customers even have an option to get a duck-billed facemask if they want to be extra cautious. The customers then get handed a hot towel with disinfectant before they leave.
Businesses and restaurants that can’t adapt to the situation and prepare security measures will eventually crumble. These are only some of the more drastic changes as well!
The Fallout – What Happen Now?
Dining in restaurants has evolved from “what am I going to eat”? To “ where is it safe for me to eat?”. Especially during this time where New York has taken a substantial hit economically because of COVID-19. However, restaurants aren’t just going to sit down and take it. They’re adapting and providing comfort to the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers that get warmth through their food. This only proves that these restaurants are the heart of New York’s workforce.
The food and drink industries in New York are struggling. A lot of businesses can be driven out of business because of a lack of income and an influx of rent and even overdue rent.
Because of this, three bills have been passed to support these businesses. This is justified because, without these food and drink industries, we honestly don’t know how New York’s economy will recover.
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