Ask George: How do you think restaurants might look and feel when they reopen?

Every Friday, dining editor George Mahe answers a culinary query.

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How do you think restaurants might look and feel when they reopen? —Suzy S., Borrego Springs, California

It’s a question that many are asking, one for which there is no exact answer. What is known is that the restaurant landscape for what many are calling “the new abnormal” will be radically different than before (in the short term anyway). And that’s for the eateries that manage to come out on the other side.

Although nothing is definitive at this point, a few generalities are likely:

  1. The reopening process may be slow and staggered, with close-proximity venues (such as bars and clubs) opening after the (relatively less congested) restaurants.
  2. Social-distancing measures may still be in place, so expect generously spaced tables and barstools. Decreasing the number of seats will, however, have a negative financial impact, which restaurants will have to consider.
  3. Restaurants with outdoor seating will likely fare better than those without, so look for the development (via awnings, fans, heaters, etc.) and promotion of what restaurateurs call “free real estate.”
  4. Heightened cleanliness standards will likely become commonplace for restaurants and personnel.
  5. There will likely be a continued push toward cashless and "no-touch" restaurant transactions.
  6. Reacting to closed dining rooms and stay-at-home mandates, many restaurants have successfully adapted to the “carryout, contactless curbside pickup, and delivery” model, as have customers. Tomorrow's restaurants will likely look to them as new profit centers (making up for lost seats) and market the service options accordingly. (Stone Soup Cottage's “Cottage to Carriage” delivery program has become so popular, co-owner Carl McConnell says some iteration of it will likely become permanent.)
  7. In the same vein, value-priced, family-style meals (sometimes offered for two, four, or six people) have proven to be extraordinarily popular. Restaurants that offer aluminum half-pans of comfort foods (salad, pasta, lasagna, meatloaf, stew) at "catering menu pricing" are reporting brisk sales. Customers will most likely continue to ask for them and restaurants will most likely comply.
  8. Similarly, pizza (a traditional pickup and delivery item) has become more popular than ever. The recently launched frozen pizza program at Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria was going “so well that we can barely keep up,” according to co-owner Katie Lee Collier. Look for Katie’s value-priced frozen pizzas (as well frozen pasta offerings) to be part of the new business model.
  9. As carryout/curbside/delivery food continues to gain customers, look for restaurants to both improve their to-go containers and ensure menu items transport and reheat well. (Bernie Lee designed the entire menu at akar to travel well and be “easily caterable.”)
  10. The purchase of restaurant gift cards has become a way of keeping a restaurant afloat, and it's a trend that’s likely to continue. Look for restaurants to adopt “holiday pricing” all year long, where the house kicks in a certain amount with the sale of a certain denomination (for instance, buy $100, get $20 free).
  11. As restaurateurs search for ways to economize and become more efficient, look for the number of menu offerings to decrease. (Owners who were hesitant in the past to remove certain menu items—as customer backlash often resulted—may now get a pass.)
  12. Similarly, some restaurants may reduce the size of their beverage inventory, so pages-long lists of wine, beer, and luxury spirits may disappear, at least for a time.
  13. Before the virus outbreak, there were arguably too many restaurants and too few workers to adequately staff them. In the near future, there may be more worker supply than demand, which could improve the service level.
  14. As the threat of coronavirus subsides, restaurateurs will likely continue to adapt and pivot, announcing their intentions and on-the-fly changes via their websites and on social media, platforms that customers should consult before venturing out.

Follow George on Twitter and Instagram, or send him an "Ask George" email at gmahe@stlmag.com. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram.

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