A few days back, I had done a post on things to do/follow when you order in…
People have now accepted that life is going to be carrying your mask, wear it when out, maintaining social distance, being cautious. From the pandemic, we have moved to the endemic phase, and this means people are stepping out of their homes a lot more than they did in 2020. While some offices have partially opened, asking their team to come in few hours or few days a week, social visits have also begun. This includes meetings at cafes, catching up with friends for a meal, or going out as a family. Most people in families have had enough of constantly being cooped up at home and cooking 3 meals a day.
Restaurants have opened their doors, ensuring safety measures are in place, and some do have timing restrictions, but they are happy to have customers walk in for a meal. Yes, most have refined their menu and today you will see a much smaller shorter menu, but with no compromise on the quality of food. Some restaurants have had to shut their doors and adopt the cloud kitchen format, which means they can only cater to customers through delivery apps. But there are many others who are open to dining in. Today, in this post, I will share points to having good dining out experience.
1. Mask –
Yes always carry a mask in fact I recommend you carry a spare Mask in your bag, this will come in handy if we all get soiled or if someone else in your group has forgotten theirs..
Make sure it is either an N95 or a good surgical mask that covers your nose mouth tension keep it on till a seat at the table. Take it off only for the duration that you are eating/drinking. Make sure to put it back on when it’s time to leave the restaurant. It doesn’t matter if the others in your group are not wearing this make sure to have yours on at all times..
2. Hand sanitizer –
Carry a small bottle with you or have one in the car. If you see one at the entrance of the restaurant, make sure to use it. Most places have a stand with sanitizer that you can operate with your foot. Ensure the everybody in your group uses it and cleanses their hands before entering the restaurant. Similarly, when leaving the restaurant make sure to use sanitizer again because you might have touched the table, cutlery, the chairs, menu card, or something else while at the restaurant.
3. Check restaurant timings –
It is always good to be prepared, especially when there is so much chaos around the world. During this pandemic, a lot of restaurants Haider open are operating for shorter hours or different timings. There was a time when places were open only till 9 p.m[ in chennai]. Give them a call around 6 pm to make a reservation and also check on the timings. This way you can be better prepared and not be in for a surprise when you land at the restaurant also check with them on when the last order is and make sure not to miss your call.
4. Be generous with your trip –
Most restaurants are running at half capacity or lesser because of safety measures and social distancing. They are also managing with fewer staff [quite a few have gone back to their hometowns and very few are left working at offices & either business places]. When you are done with your meal/visit and receive your bill, make sure to be generous with the tip
5. Reviews/feedback-
You can go ahead and leave a review on Zomato or any of the Other apps or if you’re into blogging you can do a good blog post about the restaurant and your and dining experience share this across your social media and with everybody you know it just might help people make better decisions on where to go and what to do when they are heading out for a meal.
6. Be kind… be patient –
I cannot stress this enough! Everybody is going through difficult times, so when you are at a cafe or a restaurant, be aware that your order might take longer than usual. Learn to be patient …Or alternatively, you can order a starter or a drink and dig into it while you wait for your mains to be delivered. The kitchen is likely to be understaffed and the staff involved is bound to be overworked. Not an excuse but it doesn’t hurt us to be a little patient and considerate. What you can also do if you are heading out with kids or elderly people is to make sure they have something to eat before leaving home. That way, their health will not be compromised and the entire dining out experience will be a memorable one. When dining out, remember to be kind to the staff [do not lose it on them if your order is late or any goof up happens] Everybody is trying to survive.
Quite a few restaurants have shifted to using disposable glasses and wooden cutlery. Respect that [they are probably doing it cos of all the rules & safety measures slammed on them]. Similarly, if you are assigned a table somewhere besides where you would like to sit, check with the staff on why they picked this table and ask for a change if possible.
Above all, enjoy your meal, enjoy the time out with your family or your loved ones.
