Return of dine-in pushed

MANILA, Philippines — Restaurant owners are urging the government to lift the ban on dine-in operations.

With the future of dine-ins bleak due to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019), over half of the 16,000 restaurants in the country are likely to close shop.

Restaurateurs have sounded the alarm over the devastating effect of the public health emergency on the food and dining industry that is now struggling to cope with the new normal.

“The situation is very tricky. Existential crisis, we are taking it day by day and it is very difficult. There has not been any substantial revenues while obligations are continuous,” said Andrew Masigan in an interview with The Chiefs on One News/TV5 on Wednesday night.

He noted that the country would be “lucky” if it is left with around 8,000 restaurants at the end of the pandemic, as most would be forced to close.

“I think government should really think about not disallowing the dine-in aspect of our business,” said Masigan, CEO of Advent Manila Hospitality Group Inc., which owns a chain of 31 fine and casual dining restaurants. Only three are currently open, with 10 more set to reopen by June 1.

To cushion the negative impact of the pandemic, Masigan said most of the players in the food industry have begun downsizing operations and their labor force, some by more than 50 percent.

“The painful truth is we have been laying off people. How severe the cuts are, I know of certain chains who have reduced by more than 50 percent,” he said.

The restaurateur appealed that the government should rethink its ban on dine-ins, saying that it could still be feasible with proper health measures.

Around 70 to 80 percent of restaurant operations previously relied on dine-in operations, but establishments have now been forced to shift to carry out or delivery services to adapt to the “new normal.”

Rommel Ng, founder of the Resto Coach and owner of Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things, said it is now up to the industry to shift from competition to more collaboration to help save the industry.