Sick of hearing about the ‘New Normal”?

We round up the trending  topics on what might be to come in foodservice

Post COVID-19, Australian foodservice operators will be forced to come to terms with an entirely new foodservice scene that no one could have predicted. There have been many predictions about the ‘new normal’ floating about – here we round up the probable outcomes for the foodservice sector so you don’t have to read 27 more articles on it and can just get back to cooking.

Drive Through, Pick up and Delivery:

Convenience has always been king. But now even more so. We are seeing a huge increase in takeaway, delivery, and drive through in Australia as people try to reduce their exposure to the virus. One positive that has come out of COVID-19 would be venues discovering the market potential of takeaway and how it can be tweaked to make for a better experience.  As a result, there has been innovation in takeaway foods in terms of shelf life and resilience of products. Many venues who have been offering pre-packaged takeaway packs, will be continuing to offer those services into the future, so takeaway will be better than ever.

JobKeeper and the Second Economic Wave:

Come September when JobKeeper ceases, the foodservice industry may again be thrown into uncertainty. No one seems to know what is going to happen here and we have heard rumours of the Treasury relooking at the hospitality industry (along with the accommodation and arts industries). Without more government support more venues may be forced to close their doors.

Operational Complexity:

With strict rules put in place for venues reopening to sit-down diners, things got much more complicated for Australian venues. Throw into the mix all of the sanitation and cleaning protocols that slow service down, the operational complexity of seating patrons just got so much higher. As front of house staff are now tasked with rigorous cleaning and data collection tasks (and sometimes the need to police diners who don’t follow social distancing rules) service times can suffer. The new normal will be creating quick-to-table meals that can counteract that and keep everybody happy.

Restaurant Design:

It will be a long time before the large share table will be back in action for restaurants and cafes. Instead of lining tables up closely to create a sense of fullness and ambience, diners will need to get used to being in quieter zones with further space between tables. Restaurants will need to get clever with design to ensure that the dining experience does not lose its ‘vibe’ and dining out is still the special experience it used to be.

Complications with condiments:

One of the simplest elements of any meal – the condiments – is a huge talking point post-coronavirus. Instead of shared sauces or salt and pepper, venues would be smart to look into single serve packaging that gives customers the peace of mind that no one else has touched their share.

Unfortunately, we’re inclined to think that we won’t be going back to normal operations for the foreseeable future. Even as customers begin to trickle back through the doors the future remains uncertain and unpredictable. But at least we know that the future remains in good hands, with a resilient industry body accepting every challenge, adapting and carrying on. Stay strong hospo, keep doing what you do best, and if you need to reach out to anyone we’re always here on Facebook and online.