Burnaby restaurants already reeling from nearly two years of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are getting hit once again as health officials try and slow a surge in cases due to the Omicron variant.
In addition to the blanket closure of B.C. bars and nightclubs, restaurants in the province will once again have to cap groups at six people per table.
And that has meant many diners have had to cancel their reservations for larger groups. The NOW contacted several restaurants and was told that they have seen multiple reservations cancelled since the new restrictions were announced.
“It hit like a wave,” said one restaurant manager. “I mean, we get it, things are bad and we all have to do our part. But it still hurts at a time when we’re still trying to recover.”
Burnaby has seen multiple restaurants go out of business in recent months. The Study pub on the campus of SFU has been closed for a second, although ownership has said it’s only temporary. Hastings restaurants Zeus and Chez Meme both closed earlier this year.
A new PHO mandating the cancellation of all indoor gatherings means that restaurants and cafes can no longer host parties or events for the next month.
Restaurants may remain open for dinner service on New Year's Eve.
Restrictions in place prior to Dec. 20 affecting restaurants remain in place, including mandatory face mask-wearing while moving around the restaurant and no dancing. There are no current or new restrictions on liquor service at B.C. restaurants.
According to OpenTable, which many Burnaby eateries use for online restaurant reservations, over 75% of their restaurants have reopened in Canada, and seated diners at those restaurants are just 3% below 2019 levels.
That, of course, will like change as Omicron pushes case numbers higher and people are urged to stay home more often.
A new survey from OpenTable reveals that 27% of Canadians intend on eating out more frequently than before the pandemic and to support local restaurants (56%), enjoy a change of scenery (55%) and take a break from cooking at home (40%). Now with COVID restrictions lifting, 46% of Canadians are excited to have the option to dine at a restaurant.
According to the OpenTable data, almost one in 10 Canadians say they haven't shown up for a reservation in the past year.
"When a diner doesn't fulfill a reservation, it significantly impacts the restaurant's revenue," said Matt Davis, Country Director, OpenTable Canada. "At OpenTable, we have a responsibility to help build awareness of this issue and leverage our technology in every way possible to reduce no-show rates."
To support restaurants through this period of recovery, OpenTable has launched ‘Show-Up for Restaurants’ to spotlight the impact of no-shows and to encourage diners to modify or cancel their reservation when plans change. OpenTable has added new tools and features to help restaurants prevent no-shows.
- A New Way to Tag Diners: This new tool allows restaurants to label a diner as a potential no-show based on previous reservation activity. The tool allows restaurateurs to tag the diner with a new label, so they can be proactive about confirming attendance with the diner as their reservation approaches.
- “Four Strikes and You’re Out”: OpenTable's policy suspends diners who don't show up for a reservation four times per calendar year. This policy is in addition to a number of features that OpenTable offers to mitigate no-shows, such as email and SMS reminders, prepaid experiences, availability alerts, customizable cancellation policies, credit-card required reservations holds and more.
- Communicate Directly with Restaurants In-App: OpenTable’s new Direct Messaging feature allows diners to communicate with restaurants before and after making a reservation, without ever having to make a phone call. Direct messaging empowers restaurants to serve up better hospitality by reducing cancellations and no-shows and building stronger connections that keep guests coming back.
As lockdown restrictions continue to lift, proof of vaccination is becoming a new safety standard that people will need to navigate. To simplify that process, OpenTable now allows restaurants to display COVID-19 vaccine requirements to diners. OpenTable is also launching a new tool that tags a diner as “Verified for Entry” once they’ve met entry requirements, such as proof of vaccination.
