Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

jamcool
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1019
Joined: March 5th, 2009, 10:27 pm
Been thanked: 50 times
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by jamcool »

I have a feeling that the QSRs maybe going back to the original fast food format of the 50s-60s-drive-thru; drive-up; walk-up; a few tables outside. Fewer employees, easier to keep clean. Taco Bell is already working on such a store design, with multiple drive-thru lanes, on-line/app ordering and no seating
cjd
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 624
Joined: August 18th, 2018, 6:54 am
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 6 times
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by cjd »

For the time being I agree, most places are pushing drive thru or pick up.

I disagree heavily with eliminating indoor seating in new locations. The pandemic isn't going to last forever, and eventually we're going to say goodbye to the new normal no matter what. I get irritated when I see places making concrete decisions for a short term issue. In my opinion they should wait until this is over before making such decisions, just wait until this is over.

Tonight most of the traffic at Taco Bell was drive thru, only one or two cars parked. Dairy Queen was a different story. Drive thru busy, but lots of cars parked and people inside.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by storewanderer »

cjd wrote: August 28th, 2020, 6:36 pm For the time being I agree, most places are pushing drive thru or pick up.

I disagree heavily with eliminating indoor seating in new locations. The pandemic isn't going to last forever, and eventually we're going to say goodbye to the new normal no matter what. I get irritated when I see places making concrete decisions for a short term issue. In my opinion they should wait until this is over before making such decisions, just wait until this is over.

Tonight most of the traffic at Taco Bell was drive thru, only one or two cars parked. Dairy Queen was a different story. Drive thru busy, but lots of cars parked and people inside.
I think these operators will push to eliminate indoor seating or offer very little of it. These franchise operators are always looking to save money.

Legitimate corporate operated chains like In N Out and Starbucks, I doubt will be making these sorts of moves.
Alpha8472
Posts: 3929
Joined: February 24th, 2009, 8:55 pm
Been thanked: 79 times
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by Alpha8472 »

Dairy Queen is one of those restaurants where you want to go inside. The sights and smells of the ice cream is what people like. You see what other ice cream treats other people are getting and then you can decide what to get.

It is sort of like going into a candy store where seeing people get handed candied creations is almost as fun as eating it.

If you are at the drive thru, it just is not as much fun looking at the names of what is for sale.

In N Out needs to have indoor ordering. The drive thru line is at least 30 minutes. People need to have the option to park and get food. Perhaps, they could expand the outdoor seating. Why have they never figured out a way around a single drive thru window?
steps
Receiving Clerk
Receiving Clerk
Posts: 132
Joined: February 24th, 2009, 9:05 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by steps »

Recently driving around, I noticed a Hometown Buffet removed the "Buffet" signage from the building and now it just says Hometown. I thought maybe their sign went bad and they were switching out but, "buffet" was removed from 3 signs, (2 on the actual building and 1 on the road side sign)

Is Hometown a franchise? I didn't stop or look to see if they were open but found it interesting since it may indicate they are changing their model.
Alpha8472
Posts: 3929
Joined: February 24th, 2009, 8:55 pm
Been thanked: 79 times
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by Alpha8472 »

HomeTown Buffet dropped the Buffet from their logo. It is now HomeTown AYCE Marketplace. Not kidding.

All you can eat is emphasized, but you do not serve yourself. So they either bring the food to you or they have cafeteria style. There is no more help yourself.

Most of their locations are temporarily closed.
pseudo3d
Posts: 3851
Joined: November 12th, 2015, 7:01 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 77 times
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by pseudo3d »

Alpha8472 wrote: August 30th, 2020, 12:33 am HomeTown Buffet dropped the Buffet from their logo. It is now HomeTown AYCE Marketplace. Not kidding.

All you can eat is emphasized, but you do not serve yourself. So they either bring the food to you or they have cafeteria style. There is no more help yourself.

Most of their locations are temporarily closed.
I wouldn't be surprised if Ovation Brands collapsed for good. Ryan's is now down to 16 locations (down from over 400 from its peak), with HomeTown and OCB having 33 and 17 locations each. They have also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy three times in the last past 15 years.
SamSpade
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1568
Joined: September 13th, 2015, 4:39 pm
Has thanked: 374 times
Been thanked: 57 times
Status: Offline

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Post by SamSpade »

Apparently Ovation's been sold. I posted a quote from a blog I stumbled into from the Business Journals family of publications. It's posted in another thread.
SamSpade
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1568
Joined: September 13th, 2015, 4:39 pm
Has thanked: 374 times
Been thanked: 57 times
Status: Offline

Sorry to bring this thread up, but...

Post by SamSpade »

To no one's surprise, the Fresh Acquisitions LLC company has filed (again) for bankruptcy.
It appears locally they have vacated their location, which did have banners about reopening under the "AYCE Marketplace" brand but never did.
https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/ ... uptcy.html
User avatar
retailfanmitchell019
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 891
Joined: November 10th, 2019, 11:17 am
Location: 760 area code
Has thanked: 39 times
Been thanked: 57 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Sorry to bring this thread up, but...

Post by retailfanmitchell019 »

SamSpade wrote: April 28th, 2021, 3:14 pm To no one's surprise, the Fresh Acquisitions LLC company has filed (again) for bankruptcy.
It appears locally they have vacated their location, which did have banners about reopening under the "AYCE Marketplace" brand but never did.
https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/ ... uptcy.html
I'm not surprised that the remaining Ryan's/Hometown/Old Country Buffets have closed for good. COVID has been a very tough time for buffets.
Even before COVID, Ovation Brands was struggling, as their buffets had a reputation for low quality food and poor service. In a way, they were the Kmart of fast casual restaurants. During the pandemic, they converted these buffets to AYCE Marketplaces, but they barely got customers in as the pandemic continued on.
I won't miss Hometown Buffet (Ovation brand in my area), a place that sold overpriced cafeteria food.
If you go to http://www.hometownbuffet.com/, the website is down. No closing message like Fry's.
Locked