Restaurants can survive Covid-19 and play a key role in communities. This is according to Mozambik Group chief executive Manny Nichas.
While some restaurants have announced temporary closures in lieu of the outbreak, Nichas says that the pandemic should be dealt with head-on.
“During a period of business unusual restaurants must reconsider their role in communities and how business is conducted,” said Nichas.
“After all, restaurants are quintessentially community serving and as such should play an active role in contributing to an overall preventative effort while continuing to serve its customers.”
As a result, Mozambik group has further tightened its wellness and hygiene regimes while developing and implementing new ways of doing business.
“In addition, we have a responsibility to our customers and our employees not to place our head in the sand, but to think laterally and fulfil our role in communities," he added.
Nichas noted additional measures implemented at Mozambik and suggests that this will quickly become a new trend across the industry. “It has already been rolled out in other markets with success. We intend to complete implementation this week.”
Nichas's suggestions include:
- Social distancing and capacity managed restaurants with tables spaced more than 1.75m apart with fewer customers served at any time.
- Sanitizing will become socially ritualized and outlive Covid-19.
- Intensified hygiene and wellness regimes in restaurants on top of already stringent protocols.
- Substantial increase in delivery services and home consumption with the notion of ‘dark’ or ‘cloud’ kitchens gaining ground quickly.
- Contactless delivery services and food drop offs, or collections, will fast become more commonplace.
“It requires a sustained cycle of implementation, education and constant agility in an uncertain environment,” added Nichas.
Last week the company announced that it would make all its communication material available to any company or community wishing to make use of it.