TeamYou don’t need me to tell you that things have changed ever since the pandemic started. Due to Covid19 a lot of things may never again be the way they used to be. This terrible virus has changed the world as we know it, and the most noticeable change can be seen in restaurants all around the world.
There are things we may never see in restaurants ever again, and here are they:
1. Shared tables
Some people used to enjoy sharing a table with strangers and thereby meeting someone new. Those days are now gone, as people are much more cautious about being close to fellow diners. Eating at the bar alone and enjoying the company of waiters is also over with, due to social distancing.
2. A lot of people sitting together at the table
Sitting with strangers is over with, but so is sitting with friends and associates if there are many of them. Booking tables for birthday parties and grouping them together are things we may never see in restaurants ever again. It’s very likely that restaurants will keep the rule about the limited number of people sitting at a single table or very close to each other.
2. The thick stylish menus which aren’t disposable
As you might have guessed, all the items that are often touched by different people probably won’t be a part of restaurants anymore. One example of this are non-disposable menus. You know, the stylish kind that we all love? Well, unfortunately, restaurant owners will have to think of something else which might inspire them to change their menus more often and offer seasonal foods. In addition, menus can be easily accessed on our phones, so they really aren’t a necessity no matter how much we like them.
3. Shared condiments and table condiments
Shared condiment stations might become a part of history, and we may be forced to say goodbye to table condiments too. Since multiple customers use the same condiment station and there’s a lot of squirting and dipping this might not be appropriate in the time of the pandemic. You might not find condiments on your table either. Passing the ketchup isn’t as safe as it used to be, and since a lot of people touch these things they are things we may never see in restaurants ever again. While single-serve containers that can be disposed are a great choice for ketchup, what are we going to do about salt and pepper?
4. Unwrapped straws and drink garnishes
Cocktails are going to change too. If you just think about it, it’s a surprise restaurants even used unwrapped straws in the first place. While they might be handled only by the staff, they are exposed to god-knows-what before we put them in our mouths, so unwrapped straws might be not a part of our future. In addition, drink garnishes might also be things we may never see in restaurants ever again. Prepping the slices and placing them simply requires too much touching… How are we going to drink pretty-looking cocktails without straws and garnishes? Well, you might want to learn how to make the best cocktails for an unforgettable party on your own.
5. Preset table settings
Most restaurants used to prepare the tables for customers so that everything is set when they sit down. We might not see the preset table setting anymore though, because customers need to rest assured that their flatware, napkins, and glasses are all perfectly clean. Waiters used to take away the extra settings that the customers didn’t need, so avoiding preset table settings eliminates unnecessary closeness to the waiters as well.
6. Salad bars and buffets
All-you-can-eat buffets are a threat to safety and health when you think about it from this perspective. There are shared utensils and double-dipping, not to mention the many people breathing over uncovered dishes. The days of self-serve and all-you-can-eat buffets might be behind us because of this. Salad bars are a similar problem since you also have all the unhygienic aspects as with buffets.
7. Self-serve type of ice cream machines
When you reach out for the handle of ice cream machines, do you think about how many people before you have touched it? Ever since the pandemic, you probably do, so these are also things we may never see in restaurants ever again.
8. Waiting at the bar for your table
Long lines and big crowds aren’t going to be a part of the future, at least not as much as they were before the pandemic. So, you might have to say goodbye to getting a drink at the bar while you wait for your table. Waiting for tables will have to be organized differently so that crowding is brought to a minimum.
9. Chefs, waiters, and live music near your table
Chefs probably aren’t going to make rounds at tables and waiters aren’t going to sing “Happy Birthday”. People gathering around your table is clearly going to be frowned upon, so live tableside music might be one of the things we may never see at restaurants ever again. There’ll be no more beautiful violin sounds near your date during a romantic dinner, and celebrating a birthday at a restaurant won’t be the same ever again.
10. Water pitchers, napkin dispensers, and cutlery bins
You’re probably not going to see the waiter walking around with a water pitcher from table to table to refill water glasses. The communal nature of this item makes it a big no-no during a pandemic. DIY napkin dispensers probably won’t be a part of restaurants anymore, and the same goes for cutlery bins and grab-your-own cups and cutlery. People always touch the other cups or cutlery while grabbing one, so it puts others at risk. Cutlery and cups are something you put directly in your mouth, so, naturally, you don’t want a lot of strangers touching it before you do that. Cutlery sets that are individually wrapped might still be a thing, but self-serve cup stations and soda fountains are not. Simply all self-serve stuff will have to go, and soda machines are no exception.
These are the things we may never see in restaurants ever again, and we’ll miss some of them if that’s true. We’ll have to adjust to a lot of changes anyway though, so a new way of dining at restaurants might not be our biggest issue. It’s still hard to accept though, but health comes first.
