How To Be A Respectful Diner In The COVID Era
With local rules and regulations changing on a seemingly weekly basis in Singapore, it’s hard to keep up with where you can go and who you can socialise with. If you, as a customer, are struggling to keep your social calendar straight, just imagine how challenging it is for venues. If their patrons don’t follow the rules, restaurants and bars face consequences including fines, and in the most extreme circumstances, closures.
It’s been an extremely challenging 18+ months for the food and beverage industry, and yet Singapore’s hospitality community perseveres, ensuring your favourite bars and restaurants (and many Accela clients!) can remain open for service.
As the industry adjusts to the vaccination differentiation approach, we’d like to share some easy tips on how to be a respectful guest when you’re heading out for your next meal or drink.
Please do…
Show up on time. With reduced operating hours due to the 10:30 PM cutoff for alcohol service, these businesses are trying to make up their target revenue while they can. If you’re late for a reservation, that’s less time your allocated seats are available for the venue to be making revenue during their shortened hours.
Be mindful of groups around you. Venues are responsible for maintaining a safe distance between groups, and it’s also our responsibility as guests to be mindful of our surroundings. If you push your chair back too far or rearrange your table setting, you risk violating these rules, and it’s the venue who will be reprimanded.
Be empathetic. Like we’ve said, this is a challenging time and a little bit of empathy goes a long way. Please try to be understanding of the challenges and stresses these venues are facing, and be respectful when they ask you to comply with the rules that have been set.
Please don’t…
No show. Of course it’s understandable that plans change, but please do your best to cancel reservations in advance if you will no longer be able to attend. A reservation means your table is being held, and the venue is giving up revenue from others who might want to reserve it or from walk-in guests.
Overstay your allocated booking. Some venues have opted to implement reservation time limits (i.e. 60 to 90 minutes) and even minimum spends for key dates and times. The venue should inform you of this in advance, so please be mindful and have a plan in place. If you overstay your booking, you might spill into someone else’s allocated table time - which can be a vicious cycle! If you want to keep the night going, find another venue nearby that you can support rather than refusing to give up your original table.
Try to bend the rules. While we all wish things were different, these rules are in place for a reason: to keep us safe and healthy. Being a respectful diner means following the rules. Don’t mingle between tables, don’t try to sneak alcoholic beverages past the cutoff, and don’t try to get around the vaccine requirements currently in place.
If your group isn’t fully vaccinated, or you want to have a nightcap past 10:30PM, head to a friend’s house - even better, you can order in to still support your favourite venues! For a bit of inspiration, check out our previous blog post rounding up delivery and takeaway offerings from Accela clients.
