Throughout the world, COVID-19 has changed the way people dine both inside the home and out. Public attitude towards restaurants and choice of eating places has changed. Restaurant owners have had to become more innovative and adapt to these differences in order to keep their businesses open and hopefully, profitable. Some are ready and anxious to return to “business as usual”, while others continue to offer different alternatives as they reinvent themselves in light of COVID-19. How to make meals more affordable? Will consumers elect to order food from fine dining establishments to eat at home? What will happen when things return to normal?
As an example, chef Rene Redzepi has temporarily converted his Michelin 2-star restaurant, Noma, in Copenhagen to a hamburger joint! It’s hard to believe that the winner of the title “World’s Best Restaurant” (four times) would take such drastic steps. Now, instead of catering to the tourist crowd willing to spend lavishly in search of excellence and fine dining, he offers a simpler menu at better pricing to the locals. Hamburgers and a wine bar – no reservations required! Considering its popularity, one wonders how “temporary” this will be.
The Noma Burger
And in China?
Unlike the USA and in many parts of the world, most restaurants in China were allowed to reopen in March 2020. However, consumers didn’t just rush in – they were more cautious due to monetary restrictions and continued fear of COVID-19. Many high-end branded restaurants had already begun to switch to new, more affordable options, expanding on a trend that began prior to virus. The famous restaurant in Shanghai, Yong Fu, for example, opened a less-expensive Bistro in 2019 aimed more at the middle-class; Xin Rong Ji (high end restaurants throughout China) opened a new restaurant Xiao Rong Guan serving spinoffs of their famous dishes at more affordable prices.
Then there are those like Fu Yisheng, owner of the restaurant group Yanyu, who is trying to develop ways to deliver the meal components to his customers with instructions on how to cook at home. This possible alternative is not so costly. “We are searching for ways to provide some of our restaurants’ meals for consumers to cook at home, while instructing them on how to do it so it turns out just as good as it is in the restaurant. After COVID-19 crisis, customers increasingly want quality for an affordable price.”
In the USA, online food delivery platforms (third party delivery) and restaurant self-delivery were already in use and gaining popularity before COVID – they are estimated to reach $45 billion this year – much due to the ease of ordering with mobile apps. This is expected to continue and increase even after COVID-19. Customer pick up also remains popular
The trend everywhere is definitely to more affordable eating. Good value for money. The busy restaurants in China are ones that are mid-range and cater to customers who expect tasty food at reasonable prices. All you have to do is look at the crowded places serving BBQ and hot pot to know this is true.
Hot pots are popular
Finally, throughout the world COVID-19 has resulted in consumer demand for safer food. In China, home to many previous food scandals, food safety was already high on the trending list even before the virus. Here in the USA we have the FDA’s New Era to Smarter Food Safety, a strengthened food safety blueprint for consumers, growers, producers and distributors of food products alike.
米国や他の多くの国とは異なり、中国では2020年3月にレストランの営業再開が許可されました。とはいえ、客足が戻っているわけではありません。所得減の問題があるうえ、感染リスクへの警戒心も引き続きあるため、消費者は以前より慎重です。すでに高級レストランの多くが、より手頃な価格の新しいスタイルに切り替え始めていて、コロナ以前に始まっていたトレンドを広めつつあります。例えば、上海の有名店「甬府（Yong Fu）」は2019年に、もう少しミドルクラスの客層を狙った廉価版のビストロをオープンしていました。中国各地にある高級レストランの「新栄記（Xin Rong Ji）」は、新たに「栄小館（Xiao Rong Guan）」のブランドを追加して、代表料理のスピンオフを比較的手頃な価格で出しています。
