By Ben Meyer, AIA

As restaurants in some States begin to reopen, it is sadly inevitable that occupancy is going to be way down as patrons continue to evaluate the landscape in this unprecedented time. It has been heartbreaking to see the restaurant industry suffer, with thousands of layoffs and many permanent closures.

However, as the light at the end of the tunnel begins to brighten, new ways of increasing revenue will be critical to survival until confidence and science allows for some sort of normality to resume. We have witnessed many restaurants offering curbside pick-up, takeout and recipe boxes which has helped them tread-water and keep them front of mind, nevertheless, it raises the question; what can be done to increase revenue with a reduced occupancy in house?

There has been a universal deep breath during this pandemic, where a large portion of the population have paused and found time to appreciate what is important to them; time with family, cooking, self care, appreciating nature and the smaller things in life. As we transition back to some sort normality, restaurants could help facilitate this new found consciousness through their culture. Transferring this to the dining experience, I believe guests would value a slowing down of service to enable time to relax and to fully appreciate the experience.

Having moved from London to Arizona in 2013, I have noticed both as a restaurant designer and a 'foodie' the differences between the dining experience in the US compared to Europe. With a priority on turning tables, there is often an underlying feeling of being rushed in the US, where as in many parts of Europe, lingering is encouraged in order to savor the experience. This isn't to say one is better than the other, rather suggesting a shift towards the duration of the dining experience rather than the quantity of guests could be of benefit going forward in these uncertain times.

How does this help revenue?

The thought process is that occupancy is going to be down so turning tables is probably not going to be of high priority in the near future, however, if you mange to keep those that are dinning in for longer then there is an opportunity to increase revenue through additional courses and beverage sales. Small tweaks such as allowing the guest to fully review the menu with their first drink before taking their order together with a slight increase in time between courses will both help extend the duration of the meal as would the introduction of additional smaller courses. A traditional way would be to offer a chef prepared amuse-bouche, a free bite sized offering (between courses), that would be appreciated by the guest, show off the chefs experimental talents and ultimately extend the length of time spent in the restaurant which is the ultimate goal.

Encouraging guests to linger could not only increase their spend but elevate their experience that encourages return visits and positive reviews both online and via word of mouth. A reduction in oversees travel is also inevitable, so those looking for their European fix could find a taste of it closer to home and in turn can help expedite the recovery of the beloved restaurant industry at the same time.

Food for thought.