How Restaurants Can Bring Regulars Back Post-Pandemic

Like many of you reading this, one of the things I’ve missed most during quarantine is eating at my favorite restaurants. Yes, I can get the food to go, but there’s something irreplaceable about stopping in at your favourite place for a lovely evening with someone special.

So, when my favourite restaurant opened back up, I went there for dinner. This place is known for great service, a wonderful atmosphere, award-winning food and cool artwork. I got one of my favourite dishes: a bowl of soup that costs $18. I know the soup only costs a dollar or two to make, but I’m fine paying more for the extras I get to enjoy while eating my soup.

Here’s the problem: Those extras were gone. The pre-pandemic experience I remembered had been replaced by non-stop reminders that we were all surrounded by a deadly virus: gloves and masks for the staff, temperature checks at the door, and wipes and sanitizer at the table.

To be honest, it was as much fun as eating soup at the doctor's office before an exam.

It’s about reframing the narrative and taking the focus off the safety precautions. Those efforts may not attract regulars back, and furthermore, it’s probably going to make them feel anxious if they visit. Yes, things will be different, but with a little extra effort, restaurants everywhere can make dining in feel closer to what it was and less like a doctor's exam.

Don’t get me wrong: As restaurants open back up, we must be safe. But to get the regulars who frequented their establishments to walk back through the doors, restaurants should also double-down on all the intangible reasons why people go out to eat in the first place.

This article was originally posted on Forbes.com. For the full article, click here.