For all the stories about businesses opening, the ones that have seemed to get the most attention are about restaurants. And I understand that. Their impact on both the economy and our culture are profound, arguably more than any industry -- not just for the food and all the people and related-businesses they support financially, but also the sheer social aspect of the dining experience. So, I get it. And I'm pleased that, unlike most businesses that are closed, restaurants at least have the option of continuing to operate by developing take-out business. It doesn't compensate for the loss of sit-down customers, but it's something, which is more than most can say.
This all came to mind yesterday when I got an email from IHOP. (Yes, I'm on their mailing list because I get free pancake offers from them a couple times a year -- on my birthday and the anniversary of then I signed up with them). It explained all the measures they're taking to make sure their restaurants are clean and safe. And the efforts they're taking seem to be the same that stories all explain the lengths that other restaurants are taking to make their places safe. Still, as much as I admire the efforts and as much as I hope restaurants can open and swarm with business, because I love restaurants (One of my first jobs was working for a Burger King, which my mother would generally call, "King Burger." I used to be a very teensy investor in a restaurant in Los Angeles. I've written lovingly three or four times about a restaurant, Charlie Beinlich's, near where I grew up outside Chicago. I still have fond memories as a very little kid being excited to take occasional family trips about 20 minutes to Des Plaines to go to this new, little place which turned out to be the very first franchise ever for McDonalds.) But as much as I love restaurants and hope they survive and thrive -- and as much as they're making great efforts to keep their places clean and safe -- I wouldn't even consider going to one until there is a vaccine, and most people have been inoculated. And from stories I've read, I get the sense that most customers feel the same. I appreciate that they'll be disinfecting the chairs after each customer. And be extra special cleaving the plates and silverware. And only have single-serve ketchup and mustard packs. And that they'll keep patrons separated at their tables to reduce capacity. And waiters will wear masks. And there will be hand sanitizer on tables. And many restaurants will have single-use plastic utensils. And single use paper menus. And... Seriously, knowing all these efforts being taken to keep a restaurant safe, does that give you the idea that maybe restaurants have a safety issue that requires all of these steps? And isn't there just a gnawing thought in the back of your mind that every restaurant is not going to all these steps every time without slipping up? (We all expect slip-ups in life, including in restaurants. When the the result of that mistake is the possibility of death, they're a little less acceptable.) But let's even say that every restaurants takes all these safety measures and even more, and handle them all perfectly, ever time. There are still other problems with a restaurant that are just inherently built into the experience. Like -- will people be wearing face masks? If yes, which I'd think would be the case, that would seem to make it incredibly difficult to eat. And if no, to facilitate the eating process...isn't that a huge danger-warning light glaring on-and-off??! After all, if "no," they'd be taking all these many steps for safety -- but leaving out the one requirement that has become pretty standard. So, neither option makes much sense. Or the fact that a large part of the dining experience is relaxing and socializing -- but the longer you're in an enclosed place, socializing, the greater the chance of viruses being spread through the air. And you're sitting at a table, just a few feet away from your dining companion, everyone talking, talking and talking. (Which brings up again the previous question of wearing face masks.) And the thing is, the problems are just as great from the restaurant side of the coin. To open up your restaurant, there are costs involved with that -- staff, electricity, gas, maintenance, security, insurance and more. But even at best, it would seem likely that business will be down 70%. On the positive side, if you're doing take-out, then some of those costs are already being paid. But not all, or most. It might well be much more cost-effective to stay closed until you know for absolutely certain it's safe. Which brings up probably the biggest caveat. If your staff screws up just once, and a customer gets sick, but worse, dies -- that's not only a tragedy, but a disaster for your business. Most restaurants probably couldn't come back from that. And if that one person gets sick...it seems likely that it won't be limited to just one. So, the question for restaurant owners is whether to risk opening as they no doubt desperately want, or play it safe for yourself, your staff, your customers and your future. I love restaurants. I can't wait for them to open. I can't wait for it to be safe enough for them to open where all those safety requirements aren't needed. But until that latter happens, I have a hard time seeing going out to dine. And I suspect that's the case for most people.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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