Some restaurants reopen, but customers stay away

Some restaurants reopen, but customers stay away

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com

09.06.2020

Restaurants in Chennai gave preference to takeaway services over dine-in as businesses resumed on Monday after more than 70 days.

While the footfall was poor, only 10% eateries operated dine-in services, according to the owners’ association.

About 60% of eateries remained shut for a variety of reasons including absence of adequate manpower. Restaurant chains reopened selected branches but dine-in services increased the overall sale by only 5%. Industry sources said ever since the lockdown, sales at restaurants have shrunk by 80%.

K T Srinivasa Raja, managing director of Adyar Ananda Bhavan, said they opened 40 branches in and around Chennai. “We expected 200 to 300 visitors for fine dine-in on Monday. We have received about 50% to 60% of walk-ins for dine-in services. We are serving South Indian dishes,” he said.

M Ravi, president of The Chennai Hotels Association, said that 10% of additional restaurants were reopened for fine dine-in on Monday. “This pushed the number of restaurants operational in the city to 40%. However, the eateries are contemplating whether to close them again due to less footfall,” he said.

Even as footfall was poor, some curious individuals ventured out. Sameer, a city resident, who came along with his friend to an eatery in Pondy Bazaar, said he had been sourcing food from outside during the lockdown. “Now, I wanted to eat out and it drove me to the eatery on day one,” he said.

Not all restaurants followed government norms. A visit by TOI found that a leading restaurant at Pondy Bazaar was serving its customers in an airconditioned facility, while a vegetarian restaurant at Mylapore let customers sit close to each other. The state has ordered that commercial establishments cannot use airconditioners.

FEW TAKERS: A man waits for a meal at a restaurant in Chennai