Compact menus, interiors designed for safety, day events and delivery services by established brands are here to stay
It was impossible to get a lunch table for four at a decent restaurant in South Mumbai this year on the weekend in early October. It was a dry day; even so, every restaurant had a waiting list or turned guests away. After 18 months of a brutal pandemic, stop-start lockdowns and limited restaurant hours, the city's diners, now freed, are out with a vengeance, engaged vehemently in their favourite form of entertainment.Restaurateurs say that their revenues in September 2021 have been better than the revenues of September 2019. Guests waiting for tables are half-joking when they say it feels like the city's diners are being paid to eat out. "The return to demand has already been exceptional," says Zorawar Kalra, managing director, Massive Restaurants of Masala Library and Farzi fame. "This festive season was one of the best in the decade of the industry." It was a double-vaxxed Diwali, and we certainly celebrated it.Later in October, on the 25th, the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) had its first in-person meeting in 18 months. All nine presidents of the NRAI, past and present, came together for the first time to launch the Covid Impact Assessment Report at the inaugural edition of the association's Restaurant Roundtable. The report contains some sobering truths: over 25 per cent of the country's restaurants have been shuttered, and more than 23 lakh people connected to the industry have lost their jobs since March 2020.
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You can now enjoy The Pantry's keto menu and other dishes in eco-friendly packaging
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More than 23 lakh people connected to the industry have lost their jobs since March 2020. Image: Pexels
Reworking the restaurant
When eateries were allowed to stay open only for a few hours, bars suffered, but cafes thrived. This has led to some flexing. "Formats that are more day-centric will work better," says Pankil Shah, co-founder of Neighbourhood Hospitality that owns the beloved gastropub Woodside Inn. "Places that have multiple revenue streams like gaming with a bar will work, ones that offer an interesting experience and a fun time out. Many dine-in brands have launched a retail association in some way. There will be more delivery-only brands, cloud kitchens. Comfort is going to be key." To this end, Neighbourhood is launching delivery offshoots for its brands. The Pantry became a victim of the pandemic, but Pantry Delivery is picking up. Woodside Burger Shop will launch soon in Worli and Powai at QSR prices, with a completely different menu.
Restaurants might continue to have fewer employees and smaller menus for a while. "India is notorious for the number of people we throw at a problem," says Riyaaz Amlani, founder of Impresario Restaurants and former NRAI president. "There are often three people who greet you even before you get into the door. Half filled glasses of water get topped up. [Staff] are now multi-skilled. They realised that efficient work with fewer people could provide better service and split service charges between fewer people. Disguised unemployment in restaurants has come down."Greater food costs, helped in no small way by spiralling fuel prices, might lead to compact menus for fine dining restaurants. "People appreciate smaller menus," says Kalra. "This means less food wastage and ultimately higher quality, as chefs have to prepare fewer dishes." Parallelly, diners prefer familiar brands and foods, from both a sense of nostalgia and trust.
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Established restaurant brands—many of which stayed afloat by offering deliveries and retail products, like condiments, baked goods and DIY kits—will continue expanding their digital platforms. "The focus on delivery is going to continue," says Amlani. "If deliveries were three to four per cent of a restaurant's pre-pandemic revenue, they will now be about 20 per cent. The clichés of playlist and packaging will stay." Indeed, many restaurant meals that arrived at our homes during the pandemic have never had better UI UX. They were prettier, with little notes from owners, temperature checks marked, and tips on how to handle the food for the best and safest experience.
"You can get just so much incredible stuff delivered to your doorstep now," says Chandra, who lives in Bengaluru. "And people are happy about it. It's created a new market segment for sure. There have also been pop-ups, and bespoke, curated targeted experiences, and there is a kind of customer who likes it."
Generous optimism, tempered with caution
Just as security theatre (bag checks, car checks, metal detectors) has continued long after incident, hygiene theatre (temperature checks, sanitisers) is here to stay for a few more months. We're all amply optimistic after a long time but continue to temper it with caution. In some cases, this new way of dining might involve a minor restaurant redesign to suit the new diner. At Masque in Mumbai, long six-seater tables have given way to circular two- and four-top tables. The upstairs, which was only a private dining room, has become The Living Room, an all-evening space for fancy stirred cocktails and bar bites. "We realised we need to start using real estate better, "says Aditi Dugar, founder of Masque and Sage & Saffron. "We realised that post-pandemic people will come in their bubbles, that people are coming in smaller groups. Masque is an occasion restaurant, but now it is also a place to come every day even to only have a drink. We wanted to be an accessible restaurant, and we have more footfall than ever before."
Just as security theatre has continued long after incident, hygiene theatre is here to stay for a few more months
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In the second year of the pandemic, people have become more health-aware, conscious diners. Image: Pexels
The pandemic has also brought about unforeseen excitements for diners that are likely to stay. Collaborations between food brands hit an all-time high during the pandemic—during a bleak time, an industry that is often highly rivalrous found ways to be symbiotic and make exciting things for everyone. Municipal corporations that had so far refused permissions for outdoor seating in semi-public areas relented for safety's sake, and we're all the wiser and more delighted for it. In the second year of the pandemic, people have become more health-aware, conscious diners. As a result, eateries started offering menus that cater to specific tastes and diets. Shah and Dugar say that healthy desserts have never sold better.
Restaurateurs are meeting reformed guests that are kinder, tipping more generously and honouring their reservations. "Diners have also realised how indispensable restaurants are to the social fabric of a city," says Amlani. "They now know how important dining out is for the mental wellbeing of people. People have understood the value of a restaurant."
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