Here’s an excellent piece of news for all of us who have been waiting to dine out. Restaurants in Maharashtra are likely to begin their dine-in services from the first week of October. The state government has assured hoteliers during their meeting with CM Uddhav Thackeray on Monday of receiving the requisite permissions. The state government has also prepared an SOP for the restaurants, which is expected to be finalised in the next few days. The F&B moguls are elated with the news of restaurants opening & here’s how they are preparing for the same.
Also read: 6 Mumbai Restaurants Home Delivering With All Safety Norms.
Arjun Raj Kher – Brand Head of Bayroute & Hitchki says “We welcome this move by the Maharashtra Govt to consider re-opening of the restaurants. This will help revive the restaurant business in Mumbai, that has faced severe financial losses due to the expensive real estate, management of inventories and staff allowances in the past six months. It will kick start the popular Mumbai culture of eating out but of course with all safety measures that would be laid down by the authorities.We can’t wait to host our guests and create the best memories again”.
Nikita Poojari – Director of Shiv Sagar, says “We thank our honourable chief minister for allowing us to open in a timely fashion following all safety protocols. Safety of our patrons is of utmost importance, and we will strive to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for them.”
Ruchyeta Bhatia, Co-founder & Director of Poetry by Love & Cheesecake, says “We’re looking forward to inviting our customers back into our restaurants. We will make sure to be responsible citizens and follow all the covid-19 safety protocols to its fullest. We can’t wait to put smiles on our patron’s faces again and begin the journey to normalcy.”
Sagar Neve – Director, Neve Hospitality says “The decision of allowing restaurants to open for dine-in service in Maharashtra will revive the restaurant industry, which supports over 6 million direct employees and over 100 million indirect individuals. It’s a chain reaction that influences almost 2 million individuals and households. The allowance of 50% capacity is a transition into the new normal slowly and efficiently.”
Prathik Shetty – Partner of 1522 Bar & Kitchen, says “The move will bring reassurance for Mumbai’s dining out and restaurant industry that has been under frightful financial strain as our businesses remained shuttered since March. This is a massive sigh of relief for employees with a conception of not knowing whether they’re going to get a job soon.This move should undoubtedly reduce the percentage of restaurants looking to shut down permanently. Assuring the safety of our guests and employees will be our top priority. We’re looking forward to welcoming our guests with top-notch safety measures and requesting patrons to support the hospitality industry.”
Annie Bafna- Founder & Director of The Nutcracker, says “Happy to hear the government’s decision to open up restaurants. This will require us to put in place many new processes to give the customer comfort on hygiene and safety. However, I think people realise that coronavirus is here to stay for the near future and they want to move back to some level of normalcy. While there may be an initial hesitation, eventually people will start going out if they feel comfortable in the space they are visiting. We are keeping fingers crossed and excited to be able to open up our doors finally!”
Zorawar Kalra, CEO, Massive Restaurants, says “The restaurant industry contributes to more than 2% of the GDP. We are the second largest employer in India, employing 7.3 million people. Given the kind of impact the pandemic has had, it took 6-8 months for restaurants to be operational again. However, it will tale around 12-14 months for restaurants to return to normalcy. There are estimates that 20-40% restaurants may not even open post lockdown.”
AD Singh, Managing Director, Olive Group Of Restaurants says “It’s extremely disheartening to see what the restaurant industry has been going through and it hasn’t been an easy road for us. We have made through many changes like the GST and liquor bans. So we, as an industry, has seen various changes; affect one predicted this. Unfortunately, this has affected so many of us in such a devastating manner.”
The F&B experts are welcoming this move by the government with open arms. Restaurant owners are excited to open their doors to the guests keeping all the safety protocols in place.