What to expect if you’re dining at high street restaurant chains today – from no buffet at Pizza Hut, perspex screens at Wagamamas and smaller menus at Toby Carvery
- Restaurants and pubs across England will open for outdoor dining today
- Many much-loved restaurant features won’t be back such as buffets and refills
- Others will put up screens between tables and extra ventilation for Covid safety
Many people in England will be celebrating the ease of lockdown restrictions today, by wrapping up warm by heading to dinner or grabbing a pint in a pub garden.
But many much-loved restaurant features won’t be back until 21st June, with many eateries ditching their popular buffets, while some are waving goodbye to table service and going cash free.
Others will be putting up perspex screen between tables and will be cutting back on their menus.
So what can brave Britons that embrace the cold spell for an outdoor meal expect today? From bookings of no more than six to no more self-service and high Perspex screens, here FEMAIL reveals what you can expect from dining out today…
Many people in England will be celebrating the ease of lockdown restrictions today, by wrapping up warm by heading to dinner or grabbing a pint in a pub garden. Many Pizza Huts across England will open ‘pizza gardens’ today, with stringent hygiene and cleaning measures in place.
NO MORE BUFFETS AND SELF-SERVICE
Many Pizza Huts across England will open ‘pizza gardens’ today, with stringent hygiene and cleaning measures in place.
But their famous all-you-can-eat buffet won’t be in place for now – with a ‘bluffet’ in place instead.
Staff at the Italian-American chain will bring customers a small pan or thin pizza with free tortilla chips, a bowl of salad & garlic breadstick bites, cheese & broccoli pasta or tomato pasta.
The chain said they’re working ‘really hard’ to bring self-service back as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Toby Cavery, famous for their buffet roast dinners and cooked breakfasts have no plans to return their buffet yet.
NO MORE FREE REFILLS
Pizza Hut added to FEMAIL that its drinks will no longer be unlimited because customers won’t be able to serve themselves. Instead they will pay per glass, which is brought to them by a waiter.
REDUCED MENUS
In their English and Welsh pubs Toby Carvery will be serving a reduced menu for now, alongside many other chains in the UK.
Iranian Bombay Cafe Dishoom is reopening two of its restaurants for outdoor dining from today, but both with short menus.
In their English and Welsh pubs Toby Carvery will be serving a reduced menu for now, alongside many other chains in the UK.
The Verandah at Dishoom Shoreditch will be open for bountiful breakfasts, lazy lunches and lavish evening dinners from 8am-11pm Monday to Friday and 9am-11pm Saturday and Sunday.
The Dishoom Carnaby terrace on Kingly Street will be open daily from 12th April for long lunches, afternoon snacks and bountiful evening feasts.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s is still offering reduced menus alongside fellow fast food giant Greggs.
The Verandah at Dishoom Shoreditch will be open for bountiful breakfasts, lazy lunches and lavish evening dinners from 8am-11pm Monday to Friday and 9am-11pm Saturday and Sunday. The Dishoom Carnaby terrace on Kingly Street will be open daily from 12th April for long lunches, afternoon snacks and bountiful evening feasts. Meanwhile, McDonald’s is still offering reduced menus alongside fellow fast food
ORDERING FROM YOUR PHONE AND NO TABLE SERVICE
When they reopened in summer, Pizza Hut too introduced an app where customers order and pay on the phone, minimising interaction with staff.
Ordering from your mobile phone is a practice already used in other settings, such as Wetherspoons, and is one surefire way to avoid unnecessary contact.
Rosa’s Thai Cafe have also introduced online ordering, meaning customers will scan a QR code and order their meal through their website.
Paying by card is another initiative that most shops are currently pushing at the moment in order to avoid the handling of cash.
Rosa’s Thai Cafe have also introduced online ordering, meaning customers will scan a QR code and order their meal through their website.
Deliveroo has launched an in-restaurant feature for its partners too.
The in-app function enables customers to browse the menu, order and pay at a restaurant via the Deliveroo app, making it easier for customers to visit and eat in at restaurants while maintaining social distancing.
Prezzo will also have digital ordering from a smartphone or tablet using the QR code displayed on each table with the restaurants going cashless.
Customers can settle their bill using Apple Pay or Android Pay, contactless or Chip and PIN.
Other places – such as Sanskruti vegan restaurant in Manchester -is offering disposable menus.
GOING CASHLESS
Wahaca have also gone cash free. A spokesperson told FEMAIL: ‘Payments will be cash-free and items such as credit card machine pin pads will be wiped down with sanitiser after each use’
Wahaca have also gone cash free. A spokesperson told FEMAIL: ‘Payments will be cash-free and items such as credit card machine pin pads will be wiped down with sanitiser after each use’
HIGH PERSPEX SCREENS
High-quality Perspex screens have also been installed at all counters, with designated pick-up points for mobile order collections at Costa, while customers visiting a Costa Coffee Drive-Thru sites will see a bespoke one of a kind serving hatch has been installed (specifically designed for Costa Coffee) to ensure customers can collect their order with no contact.
These cleverly designed hatches, which lower items from the service hatch down to customer’s vehicles, have a built-in acrylic hygiene screen to provide maximum protection for both customers and Costa Coffee team members.
Wagamama has announced plans for return to re-open their dine-in operation using sliding screens to keep diners safe whilst maintaining an enjoyable experience
Is it safe to eat at a restaurant buffet?
Health and safety will be the top concern for both restaurant owners and customers after the lockdown ends.
Food hygiene ratings are likely to be more important than ever with many diners sure to check that the eatery they visit has a good history of keeping clean.
Before you are heading out to eat or get a takeaway, you can check the rating of the restaurant here.
Jatinder Paul, an expert environmental health lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, has warned that it is ‘vital’ that restaurants adhere to social distancing measures.
He said: ‘There remains much uncertainty around the capability of restaurants and other eateries to be able to reopen safely.
‘By design many restaurants are currently not geared towards meet social distancing measures.
‘Stripping out of tables and spacing tables further away, how waiting staff attend to customers, whether it’s safe for customers to queue for buffet-type meals and whether customers can safely use toilets without breaking social distancing are just some of the likely hurdles businesses are going to have to overcome.
‘The danger of illnesses connected to poor hygiene should never be underestimated. We see hundreds of cases every year when people’s lives have been turned upside down as a result of hygiene issues which could and should have been avoided.
‘While restaurants are awaiting further government guidance on creating a Covid-19 secure environment we would urge businesses to start planning ahead now.’
Another industry facing major problems is the hotel sector with most offering a breakfast buffet for their customers.
However, due to the recent changes, this is no longer possible to run with Travelodge saying they have closed all restaurant operations in response to the coronavirus.
Instead, customers can purchase a breakfast box from reception that they can take to their rooms and eat.
Other hotels are considering similar courses of action when they reopen with the potential for room service to also be provided.
Meanwhle, wagamama will open 72 restaurants for outdoor dining today.
Since wagamama has never taken bookings – they are staying true to this ethos – no pre-bookings are required, meaning guests have maximum flexibility and teams will seat guests quickly and safely.
They will also have screens up to separate tables from one another.
A wagamama spokesperson told FEMAIL: ‘We’re excited to begin this first stage of reopening and we’ve got some incredible new dishes for guests to try. We announced in January that we had developed our biggest vegan range ever, including our vegan chilli squid.
‘But with some of these dishes not being suitable for our delivery and click + collect menu, guests are yet to try them. We can’t wait to re-open with these new vegan versions of our most iconic dishes. Our outdoor dining experience offers guests the same great wagamama experience whilst complying with coronavirus safety regulations, ensuring both guest and staff safety.’
FACE MASKS ON AND HEIGHTENED VENTILATION
Marcos Fernandez, CEO and founder of Iberica Restaurants and Arros QD told FEMAIL his restaurants will be taking extra safety precautions.
‘At my Iberica and ArrosQD restaurants, our tables have been extended in space between tables to 2m.
‘We’ve replaced the ventilation systems with ones that replace all the air in our restaurants between ten to 21 times an hour (five times more efficiently than the recommendations) to ensure the air is as clean as possible of the viru. Most importantly we’ve adapted how we cook and serve food to ensure diners and staff feel safe and education around that is high
Za’ta UK opened in September right in the middle of the pandemic in Baker Street, London. They have screens throughout the shop, hospital grade air conditioning, sanitiser everywhere before handling doors.
They are using OrderPayUK – click and collect ahead of your visit, or from the table avoiding any contact via the Order Pay app.
DINING PODS
Craft in Bimrmingham is famed for their outdoor terrace and they have build several state-of-the-art outdoor private dining pods to help keep war,
Spacious enough to seat up to eight people, Craft’s pods come complete with built in heating, well ventilated spaces and an Alexa music system.
Their garden can fit up to 110 people and has a fire pit seating area too, and will open from Wednesday
BOOKINGS CAPPED AT SIX PEOPLE
With the rule of six still in place, pubs and restaurants will cap bookings.
Commuter’s favourite coffee chain Pret will allow only four customers to a table, which will be space one metre apart.
What can you do from today? (And what do we still have to wait for?)
- All non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen, as will hairdressers, beauty salons, gyms and swimming pools, with no group classes allowed.
- Pubs, restaurants and cafes can reopen for outdoor service, but will have to wait until at least May 17 to serve customers indoors.
- Mass testing to be available, with everyone urged to take two tests per week.
- New care home rules will allow residents to have two visitors, rather than just one.
- Self-catering accommodation, including campsites, can reopen, but hotels and B&Bs must remain closed until at least May 17.
- Shops will be allowed to stay open until 10pm, six days a week, in a bid to reduce crowding.
- The maximum number of people allowed to attend weddings and wakes will rise from six to 15.
- Public buildings can reopen, as can outdoor attractions such as theme parks and zoos.
- Controversial hospitality rules such as the 10pm curfew and requirement to buy a ‘substantial meal’ with alcohol will be dropped.
- Clothes shops will be allowed to reopen their changing rooms for the first time in more than a year.
Still banned –
Until May 17 at the earliest: Gatherings of up to 30 people outdoors, with the rule of six and two-household rule indoors; pubs and restaurants will reopen indoors; and controlled indoor events of up to 1,000 people or 50 per cent of a venue’s capacity, whichever is lower, will be permitted.
Outdoor events will be allowed to have a capacity of 50 per cent or 4,000 people, whichever is lower; while special provisions will be made for large, outdoor, seated venues where crowds can be spaced out, with up to 10,000 people or 25 per cent of total seated capacity, whichever is lower.
Up to 30 people will be allowed to attend weddings, receptions, funerals, and commemorative events, including wakes. Indoor gatherings like exercise classes will be given the go ahead.
Until June 21 at the earliest: All legal limits on social contact will be lifted and nightclubs reopened.
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