Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

[jamcool]

All because someone wanted to eat a bat.

[veteran+]

All because someone wanted to eat a bat.

Or a pangolin............no one knows for sure yet.

[mjhale]

In my area most of the McDonalds have closed their inside entirely and are doing drive through only at least during the afternoon and dinner periods. Specific locations include Reno on Kietzke Lane and Reno on Mae Anne Ave. (two different franchisees). I am not sure if that is what McDonalds Corp. wants but that is what is happening in these locations.

I noticed Jack in the Box which initially weeks ago went drive through only appears to have reverted and is now opening inside for carry out and has big signs posted stating that they are open for carry out. El Pollo Loco also posted banners that said they are open for drive through and carry out but one franchise in Reno and Carson City put duct tape over the "carry out" part and is only operating drive through.

Based on the number of promotions, app alerts, and emails I am getting from these places and also Chickfila, it appears business is down tremendously. I haven't purchased fast food since this whole thing started and don't plan to until things get back to normal.

It seems to me that it is easiest just to close in the interior. Just go with delivery and drive through only. My state is limiting gatherings to 10 or less and that includes restaurants. That's why most of them have bagged it and are doing drive through (if the have one) and/or delivery only. Those without a drive through that are doing pick up make you call when you arrive. Then they put your food on a table outside the door and you come up and get it. Credit card sales only. If a restaurant were to open the interior even to just come in and get your food, if you get a rush of people you'd be hard pressed to maintain the 10 person limit including the employees working.

[cjd]

I went through drive thru at Wendy's this evening. (This is my new Friday evening treat post-virus). There was only one person in front of me and one behind. Didn't see many people in line at McDonald's or Burger King either, or DQ.

Captain D's has a backup of cars almost into the street every time I go by at night. But I think Captain D's isn't really as suited to fast food drive-thru service so that's the reason for the backup. One of the DQs is backed up sometimes but that's not a new thing, their drive thru doesn't wrap around the building (1970s pre drive thru built) so just 3-4 cars will cause a backup to the roadway.

Remember almost all service and for some all service is through the drive thru so if the line is thin, business is very slow. If it's backed up business is probably just OK. I doubt places are doing that much in delivery service, but who knows.

The BK offers have been very enticing, 2 free happy meals with orders, etc.

[storewanderer]

The reason to be open inside for take out is so you can serve more customers. Only serving through the drive through limits how much business you can do. If there are 5 cars lined up for drive through, some people may just drive on if that is the only option whereas if they see inside only has a customer or two they go park and go in.

I agree these places have tight spaces and if too many people go inside you may have an issue with spacing. Also I am not sure how self serve drink bars work with the current situation (the gas stations seem to still operate them though). But I think most of these franchisors want the inside open for to go sales (remember, they still want their royalties), Door Dash, and all those other services that go inside to quickly pick orders up. I know someone who went to McDonalds in Reno in the daytime, and inside was closed and drive through only, but their receipt mysteriously said "Take out" on it. As if they are running the drive through order through as take out to make it look like the inside is open.

[cjd]

Before the full shut down of dining in, it seemed it depended on the location. Some places like Arby's were filling drinks at the drink fountain for the drive thru and any refills had to be done in a new cup. Other places like Dairy Queen were still using the fountain in the dining room but were keeping all lids and straws behind the counter. I would assume it's likely a mixed bag now as well. Although to me for cost savings it would be better to just shut down the drink and ice machine in the dining room and use only one machine.

[rwsandiego]

Red Development, a Phoenix-based property management and development firm, is reimbursing its employees for the cost of eating at restaurants located in its properties. Phoenix Business Journal is behind a paywall, so here's the full article:

"When restaurants began to suffer due to forced changes in business for the novel coronavirus, executives from Red Development wanted to work with their tenants to find ways to accommodate them during this time of financial stress. Then, company leadership wanted to put their money where their mouth is.

The Phoenix-based company launched a benefit March 16 that allows Red Development employees to eat at restaurants that are the company’s tenants, and be reimbursed by the firm, meaning employees and their immediate families can eat for free at Red Development properties.

“The idea came from watching CNBC and [Dallas Mavericks owner and entrepreneur] Mark Cuban,” said Scott Rehorn, managing partner at Red. “He said he wanted to keep local restaurants in business, and I thought, we have a lot of employees who are on the front lines for us, keeping our properties clean and safe.”

The idea keeps money flowing in to businesses that are hurting during the closures and is a nice perk for employees, who can use the benefit for themselves and their immediate families. The plan originally lasted two weeks, but has since been extended until April 19.

Red owns 16 mixed-use developments, seven of which are in Arizona.

The company employs about 100 people statewide, and employees submit their receipts to the firm’s human resources to be reimbursed. Employees can eat at the restaurants as often as they like.

“We already have given our local tenants some relief, but we wanted to think of other ways to help out the tenants,” Rehorn said.


Red Development has not laid off or furloughed any employees, but some employees’ spouses may have had cuts at their own jobs, so a free meal can really help them out during a difficult time, he said.

'It lets our tenants know how much Red people care,' Rehorn said. He declined to disclose the amount the benefit has cost, but said he hopes the move will inspire other companies to look at ways they can benefit their employees and clients during the interruptions to business.

Amy Lopez, vice president of marketing for Red, said she has used the benefit a couple of times and the tenants are very grateful that the management has the idea in place to help them stay afloat. Most tenants usually offer takeout or delivery as just a small portion of their business, so they have had to shift their focus quickly in the past few weeks.

'They’ve been very complimentary,' Lopez said of tenants. 'It speaks to our leadership and their generosity.'

Some of Red’s tenants have also implemented programs to help the community during the pandemic. Veneto Trattoria Italiana is offering a $10 customer appreciation certificate with each takeout purchase over $50, Slanted Rice is offering a roll of toilet paper and 10% off orders of $20 or more, while NYPD Pizza and Pizzeria Bianco are both donating food to people in need."

[BillyGr]

The obvious main reason for using interiors for pickups is that most restaurants (aside from the fast food types) don't even have a drive thru option (not even most of the chains - they may have a separate exit for "carside" take out, which is OK as well).

Now, a couple local places are making it work - one has a window where they normally sell ice cream in the summer, so they are asking everyone to go to that for pickups, but not something every place would have.

Another also was bringing all orders out to cars, which is OK as long as they have a way to see when people arrive as not everyone would be able to contact them from their car.

[storewanderer]

Many local restaurants in my area are doing pick-up curbside so customers cannot enter the location.

Also observed a pizza place in Reno yesterday night with outside seating, bar inside, and seating inside. Bar and inside seating closed, as expected. Outside seating (picnic table style) was open and people were sitting out there eating... police substation is a few blocks away and City Hall is on the next block. So much for enforcement.

[Alpha8472]

Restaurants should block the tables or use tape.