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Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 10th, 2020, 10:52 am
by storewanderer
BillyGr wrote: May 10th, 2020, 10:35 am

Not sure that the disposable thing makes much sense - if washing your hands gets the virus off them, you would think washing silverware and plates would do the same (if not more, as the water is likely hotter in a dishwasher).

Of course even if not required some might choose to do that over needing the extra help to wash, and many may have ordered large quantities of some things like that for the take out orders and just have extra on hand.
Since the NV Governor only gave about 36 hours of notice the reopening of restaurants and retail, many were not able to pull together the supplies/staff to reopen that quickly and that is why many have not reopened yet. This Governor must have seen some financial reports and gotten really spooked because he has us under a "Stay at Home Order" through May 15, cases continue to rise, yet he allowed businesses to reopen yesterday including restaurants, hair/nail salons, outdoor malls, retail stores... No win situation.

The disposable thing makes zero sense and is stupid if the silverware and plates are properly washed. How many times over the year have you gotten a coffee cup with a lipstick stain or silverware with something stuck to it? I have, many many times in lower end type restaurants ("chains") over the years. Probably 5-10% of total restaurant visits.

So with that said, I would be more comfortable with disposable cutlery and disposable cups if I knew where they came from. I am not sure cutlery from a loose box or container that multiple employees are reaching into to grab is safe at all. Pre-wrapped is probably safer. Not sure the plate concerns me as much even if it probably should.

Might be time to just bring your own cutlery. No restrictions on that yet. Store a jug of water in the car to rinse if off after you leave and then wash it when you get home. Or just eat fried food that doesn't require cutlery use.

I haven't purchased from a restaurant since this whole thing started and have no plan to going forward. Too many risks.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 10th, 2020, 11:19 am
by cjd
Disposable prewrapped cutlery would probably be best. I don't think the coronavirus would survive in a dishwasher with high temps and chlorine rinses. But what concerns me is how many are touching that silverware after it first gets pulled out of the dishwasher and put back in the containers, and then whoever is wrapping it in napkins to be put back out?

I think in general people are just tired of the virus restrictions and lockdown and want to be back to normal right now. That's why you'res seeing the complacency, especially in areas where there aren't supposed huge numbers of cases.

I've had similar feelings, although strangely with the reopening, I feel a little better knowing I could go out if I wanted to. But I still don't plan to get right out and involved much until the virus is over.

Right now I'm doing the opposite of what most would want us to do for the economy, and I am instead trying to spend as little as possible. No unnecessary trips out in the car like I usually did on the weekends. I am still driving thru on Fridays to get food after work as a sort of treat. But my eating out has been practically nil compared to a typical month.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 10th, 2020, 12:16 pm
by klkla
BillyGr wrote: May 10th, 2020, 10:35 am Not sure that the disposable thing makes much sense - if washing your hands gets the virus off them, you would think washing silverware and plates would do the same (if not more, as the water is likely hotter in a dishwasher).
You are correct as long as the restaurant staff and management are doing everything correctly. To me it sounds like they are doing this with an abundance of caution.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 10th, 2020, 12:51 pm
by reymann
i think the future of restaurants might be replacing physical menus with downloading menu apps. disposable menus could get expensive and encouraging diners to look at an e-menu on an app would be a much better solution. outdoor dining is being floated as an idea to make up for the half capacity restaurants.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 10th, 2020, 12:57 pm
by storewanderer
klkla wrote: May 10th, 2020, 12:16 pm
BillyGr wrote: May 10th, 2020, 10:35 am Not sure that the disposable thing makes much sense - if washing your hands gets the virus off them, you would think washing silverware and plates would do the same (if not more, as the water is likely hotter in a dishwasher).
You are correct as long as the restaurant staff and management are doing everything correctly. To me it sounds like they are doing this with an abundance of caution.
It also takes additional staff (and supplies like masks, cleaners, good gloves, etc. that are not always readily available right now) to wash the dishes... sanitize the area around the dishwasher... tight spaces in restaurant back of the house areas create some social distancing challenges.

As far as disposable menus go, food supply shortages as well as the overall sitaution are going to cause restaurant operators to take a hard look at the depth of their menus and need to make some decisions. If you can only run 50% capacity, slow moving menu items have to go in order to control spoilage and streamline operations (cut staff). Disposable menus would allow for changes to be made quickly.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 11th, 2020, 12:51 pm
by Super S
It looks like Denny's has decided to close down through this ordeal in my region. I have passed by three Denny's locations in the last two weeks: Kelso, WA, Chehalis, WA, and Tumwater, WA (which opened just in the past year). All of those locations had no vehicles in the parking lots and shades pulled down, and nothing advertising take-out or anything, which is strange because they seemed to be pushing that on my last few visits. The Kelso location has had all of the lights turned off in the evenings.

Meanwhile the Shari's in Kelso (across from Denny's) has a banner saying they are open for take-out.

How is Denny's operating elsewhere?

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 11th, 2020, 4:59 pm
by BillyGr
reymann wrote: May 10th, 2020, 12:51 pm i think the future of restaurants might be replacing physical menus with downloading menu apps. disposable menus could get expensive and encouraging diners to look at an e-menu on an app would be a much better solution. outdoor dining is being floated as an idea to make up for the half capacity restaurants.
You would still have to have some type of printed version available (at least a few), since not everyone can use an electronic version.

Actually, some places always have their regular menus with plastic covering the pages - those would work fine as well, as they could be easily cleaned off between uses.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 11th, 2020, 8:13 pm
by klkla
Super S wrote: May 11th, 2020, 12:51 pm How is Denny's operating elsewhere?
Each store sets it's own hours for pick-up and delivery in L.A. and there is no common thread. A store near me is open 24 hours but I've never seen anyone there. The one down the street is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. while another in East L.A. is only open 7 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Some stores have different hours for delivery and pick-up.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 12th, 2020, 2:45 pm
by Alpha8472
Some Denny's in my area of the San Francisco Bay Area are closed. I am not sure if it is permanent. There are many open but with a wide range of hours for take out and pick up. Some are 24 hours and some close at 3 pm.

Mel's Drive In in the San Francisco Bay Area is doing car hop service at several locations since indoor dining is not available. The car hop takes your order at the car and they bring a large tray that attaches to your car window. It is wildly popular and people are coming from all over. They even have the old fashioned paper hats and bow ties.

Many restaurants should bring this back. Customers love this.

Re: Coronavirus and Empty Restaurants

Posted: May 12th, 2020, 5:03 pm
by klkla
Alpha8472 wrote: May 12th, 2020, 2:45 pm Mel's Drive In in the San Francisco Bay Area is doing car hop service at several locations since indoor dining is not available. The car hop takes your order at the car and they bring a large tray that attaches to your car window. It is wildly popular and people are coming from all over. They even have the old fashioned paper hats and bow ties.

Many restaurants should bring this back. Customers love this.
That is pretty cool. More restaurants should think out of the box like that.