Delivery, QR (quick response) codes and cashless payments used to be afterthoughts in dining, but since the pandemic upended so many aspects of our lives, these innocuous digital tools are now indispensable and essential parts of the dining experience.

“This pandemic has really accelerated the adoption of delivery and it has become a staple behavior in our everyday lives, bolstered by our advancing technology, a stronger e-commerce and online presence,” said restaurateur Ana Lorenzana de Ocampo.

Then there are also QR codes, which have become a regular fixture in establishments, usually for contact tracing, payment or to view the menu.

But for The Test Kitchen, which delivers ready-to-cook meals, the QR code on the packaging links at-home diners with a step-by-step video to help them reheat their meals.

“We felt it was the only way to replicate the Test Kitchen experience,” chef/owner Josh Boutwood said.

Tech trends

These tech trends, as well as the pandemic pivot and the future of dining, were just some of the topics discussed by Boutwood, De Ocampo, Resto PH president Eric Teng and Novateur Coffee Concepts chair Patrick Pesengco during last week’s series two of the “Food vs Pandemic: The Role of Food Service” INQlusive Lifestyle webinar series.

These movers of the country’s food and beverage industry also shared how their restaurants have adapted to changing health protocols, restrictions and the needs of their patrons.

Lifestyle food columnist Angelo Comsti served as moderator.

For Teng, who is the mastermind behind Genki Sushi and Mango Tree, technology has long been a part of their business. Genki Sushi diners order through an iPad or even order in advance through their phones. Tasty dishes arrive on miniature trains at the novelty Japanese restaurant. But even though his restaurant had embraced digital tools way before the global health crisis, he still had to innovate in certain ways to keep running his restaurant.

“We’re on Zoom now and I love this thing. I can meet my staff every day using this. I see the state of the kitchen with Zoom—how clean or shiny it is. It’s something that allows us to be present where we can’t be; it allows us to be there and be a part of our business, whereas before I really had to be there physically,” he said.

Before the pandemic, the Philippines was a laggard in adopting cashless transaction methods, but as if overnight, people shifted to digital payment for meals, groceries and services.

Due to their customers’ demand for digital transactions, Pesengco said Novateur—the exclusive distributor of Nespresso in the country—is changing its e-commerce platform to accommodate clients. They have also developed customer relations management to assist their customers.

“We have to invest because delivery and e-commerce are here to stay. Now overnight we have more customers who use GCash and PayMaya. It’s more investment for us but it means survival and growth for the future,” he said.Adapt to survive

Restaurants have been shuttered, reduced to less than half their capacity or have been limited to deliveries during the course of the raging health crisis. Many restaurants that have been around for several years have closed their doors, but many have also learned to adapt to survive.

Pesengco said his other company’s (Philippine Vending Corp.) vending machines located at offices and schools definitely felt the brunt of the pandemic, while Nespresso’s professional services also suffered because the restaurants that it catered to were affected, as well.

Wildflour was, in some ways, lucky, said De Ocampo. Just before the virus hit, the country, the restaurant chain launched its online platform wildflourtogo.com, and Wildflour Pantry, a go-to source for premium fresh and frozen goods before the lockdown.

Boutwood, who’s also the corporate chef of The Bistro Group, meanwhile, spent a month rethinking the best way he could continue serving food without sacrificing quality.

“I didn’t want to rush into things . . . But it gave enough time how to pivot the business model in terms of operating, trying to minimize the loss at operating and finding ways that we could take advantage with takeaway and delivery,” Boutwood said.

“My restaurants (Test Kitchen, Helm and Savage) are not designed for takeaway and delivery, but we were able to come up with separate menus which could then excel and create different lines and kind of microbrand that to help us survive the pandemic.”

The Filipino-British chef advised other business owners to do the same—“think before you act,” to avoid mistakes.

“You will notice that you can reap the benefits much sooner than making those minor mistakes to begin with,” he said.

Industry first

As the lockdown forced the industry to readjust operations and provide restaurant-quality fare at home while creating a safe environment for the kitchen staff, chefs and restaurateurs banded together to form Resto PH.The organization—a first in the industry—is a place for restaurant owners to share best practices,

extend help and support each other during these tumultuous times. The group also receives updates from ranking Cabinet officials concerning the industry.

“Nobody knew what to do, but everybody wanted to help us. Surprisingly, it’s not about people asking for help. It’s about people wanting to help other people. That really is the guiding spirit or the esprit de corps of Resto PH,” Teng said.

“There are a lot of huge challenges, and while on a micro level, we may all be competitors, I think in a time of crisis catastrophe we kind of realize that we all have to band together to fight a bigger foe, and that is COVID-19,” said De Ocampo.

She explained that through the organization, restaurants have become proactive in the vaccination of their staff, to make their establishments a safer place for customers. A number of restaurants have also launched discounts to diners who are fully vaccinated.

Postpandemic outlook

Now that dining restrictions have been lifted, albeit minimized, De Ocampo said some diners who have been staying at home for too long are eager to have a nice meal at restaurants. She observed different behaviors among her customers, such as restaurant-goers who are elated by simple dishes while eating out, and cautious diners who prefer to be seated in a corner where there are no other people beside them.

Teng is hopeful for a postpandemic recovery of the food service industry. He noted that in cultural centers like Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, restaurants are running at full steam, and he hopes that once the health crisis is over, the postponed birthday parties, graduation blowouts and gatherings will be celebrated in restaurants.

“We certainly want to get back to a restaurant. This is not just about food, it’s about the time we have with other people,” he said.

And while deliveries and the convenience they provide are now a crucial part of life, De Ocampo said restaurants will still have a place in a postpandemic world.

“I still believe that the experience of being able to dine out in a restaurant, having a nice meal with great ambience with friends. It’s really hard to replicate that,” she said.

“I know that probably in a postpandemic world we would still have customers who will order at their favorite default restaurants from their homes, but I still believe the brick-and-mortar restaurants are here to stay.” INQ