Where are restaurant owners at with this pandemic that has shaken their existence since March 2020? Since that fateful month, they have experienced several lows but very few highs. Here is a summary of the effects this pandemic has had on their businesses and what their reality appears to be as September nears its end.
Restaurant owners first had to accept the closure of their dining rooms in March and until June 2020. During this period, an agonizing period at best, only take-out or delivery orders were allowed.
A few months later, it was the turn of the curfew to come and play spoilers and force owners to review their opening hours and prioritize delivery.
If some have managed to get by, it is in large part thanks to government programs for businesses.
CERB and labor shortage
As a result of this imposed closure, several employees found themselves forced into unemployment. Faced with such a situation, the various levels of government have set up financial assistance programs intended for taxpayers. The famous PCU was therefore born.
Today, even in another form, it continues to do great harm to employers.
It is partly responsible for the general labor shortage in restaurants in Quebec. Of course, the headache of employee shortages already existed before the pandemic, but the pandemic seemed to have had a multiplier effect.
We have talked about it extensively over the past few weeks, several restaurateurs are playing daring to find the missing staff. Hiring bonus, referral program and technological innovation are some of the assets they have at the moment.
Sanitary measures
Once the dining rooms reopened, which was possible during the month of June 2020, all kinds of restrictions had to be observed in order to protect customers and employees.
Of the number, let's think about the limit of customers present inside the dining room which had to be at 50% of the usual capacity in order to allow a distance between the tables, a maximum number of guests gathered at the same table, the respect for family bubbles and without forgetting the wearing of a face cover.
Restaurant owners, like retail business owners, have had to put in place protective measures such as plexiglass and disinfectant liquids in addition to regularly cleaning all surfaces, be it tables, door handles and bathrooms.
Increase in expenses
As if all these measures imposed by the government were not enough, they have to pay out of pocket for everything related to sanitary measures: masks, visors, plexiglass, displays and disinfectants.
But that's not all. Their suppliers have also increased their prices, by 7 to 12% on average. Thus, they find themselves forcing to increase the price of their menu in order to compensate for this increase. However, they must find a balance between their level of profitability and the ability to pay of their customers.
Some have instead changed their menu, removing certain foods, modifying certain recipes or reducing the quantities.
Vaccination passport
The most recent test that restaurateurs face is the imposition of the vaccination passport. Each customer wishing to settle in the dining room must present their proof of vaccination and a piece of identification. If he is not adequately vaccinated, the restaurateur must deny him access and return him home!
Once again, this responsibility lies with the restaurant staff. In the fault, hefty fines are foreseen.
Thus, an employee must be assigned to this task as soon as the customer enters the restaurant. This employee, already difficult to hire, is sufficiently busy with this task and cannot generally help table service.
Several permanent closures
The result of all these policies and this pandemic is brutal: already more than 1000 bankruptcies or restaurant closings. In recent months, the Journal de Québec has counted 175 closures in Quebec alone. This is one in ten restaurants.
What makes people involved in the restaurant business fear the worst? The end of federal aid programs.
