Page 12 - CWA COVID-19 Coverage Restaurant Edition Part 1

you and the team learn from the experience? understanding the plight or situation that
疫 We believe that the dine-in model will change in are befalling FnB operators in Singapore?

起 the near future. With social distancing in place, Yes, we see customers who genuinely want to
support the F&B industry in the market, and the
the capacity of each dining outlet is going to
面 be reduced substantially which will then have media has helped to mention us and give us shout-
outs on their platforms during this unprecedented
an impact on the revenue of dine-in outlets.
time. We are grateful to our loyal supporters for the
对 We have worked with our executive chefs who work different brand who continues to support us even
in rotation in 1 central kitchen to provide a variety if they can’t leave their home. Our media partners
of for customers to choose from. Usually, with have supported us with the shout-out for our
delivery platforms, customers can only choose 1 delivery service and we are grateful for their help.
brand / 1 menu for each delivery. We want to offer
them more freedom to choose from our different The F&B industry was tasked to become more
concepts. We have started our own delivery effort sustainable and eco-friendly in their menus
– www.sgdelivery.online to create this offering for before the virus. Now, is this challenge becoming
customers. The delivery market for food has seen more difficult with the use of packaging and
a remarkable increase in the overall share of sales. utensils for takeaway? Does sustainability take a
backseat with this pandemic and is it justifiable?
Other challenges we see moving forwards are:
• Rent contract that we have entered was At this stage, even getting a packaging that we usually
based on the figures of the previous market get with biodegradable forms is challenging. The
landscape / pre-COVID-19 (high-traffic in whole of Singapore is fighting for it, limited stocks
locals/tourists in Singapore, higher dining are available for any type of packaging sustainable
capacity). After the circuit breaker, we see that or non-sustainable. Sustainability would take a
people will continue to work from home, many backseat in these circumstances, however, we do
will already be accustomed to food delivery inform our customers to be mindful for it still, by
service. The number of dine-in customers requesting no cutleries as they have their cutleries
would no longer be the same as before. at home to reduce the number of disposable items.
• Day to day operating costs has increased
which we have to factor into our consideration All of us are in this together; we

We will continue our collective online delivery for have to face the toughest decisions on
food and at an early stage to enter the groceries keeping the business and staff alive.
delivery market too. We have seen the change in
customer behaviour and to adapt to market demand. We hope that we all will come out
Do you think the elements of how some from this together, with the changing
restaurants are operating at the moment landscape of Singapore F&B scene;
will become the norm in the future?
we too have to change to survive.
Indeed, The Strait Times had an article that
reinforced this belief that ‘working from home
to be the norm for most even after circuit
breakers end’. This will change the F&B market
landscape and more people will be accustomed
to getting their food delivered and dining out less.

Some establishments are using the hashtag
#savefnbsg in social media during this time
to document and motivate people to support
the FnB industry. Do you think a hashtag SCAN HERE TO ORDER
like this is a good way of Singaporeans FROM SHABESTAN

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