Bookings for restaurants lukewarm as diners wait for dining in confirmation

SINGAPORE - Restaurants have started taking reservations in anticipation of the return of dining in next Monday (June 21), subject to the Covid-19 situation remaining under control.

They could provide only takeaway and delivery food from May 16 under phase two (heightened alert).

But the general sentiment is that the response this time is more lukewarm compared with the end of the 2½-month ban on dining in last June after the circuit breaker.

Many eateries said they have been receiving inquiries on bookings, mostly for the weekends, but these are fewer compared with last year when many restaurants were fully booked for weeks ahead. Some credit it to diners being more cautious as the situation remains fluid.

Mr Shawn Lim, executive director of the Penang Culture chain, which has five outlets in shopping malls such as VivoCity and Nex, said: "Apart from the fact that consumers are getting used to takeaway and delivery, we believe people are waiting for the official announcement that the dine-in ban is lifted before making bookings."

Since the chain's restaurants started accepting reservations on Sunday, they have received only a few bookings, mainly for the VivoCity outlet and on weekends. This is despite the chain offering deals like a $1 chicken dish for those who spend at least $35.

In the event the ban is extended, Mr Lim said: "We are well-prepared, we will still be offering islandwide delivery. We have also come up with set promotion deals, which will be available for dine in, takeaway and delivery."

After June 10's announcement that dining in would likely be allowed only next week, Red House Seafood changed the bookings for Father's Day on June 20 to self-collection and delivery orders. It has three outlets in Prinsep Street, Clarke Quay and Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel.

Its spokesman said: "While we are hopeful about the resumption of dining in on June 21, there is a general sense that people are not rushing to dine out as they did last year."

She attributed this to the fact that many Singaporeans have generally adjusted to the new normal and recognise the value of the precautions taken by the Government.

She added that the company's mass-market eatery Geylang Claypot Rice in Beach Road is getting more inquiries on bookings from families because of the school holidays.

Mr Wong Jing Kai, who owns seafood restaurant Scaled by Ah Hua Kelong in Hamilton Road, said that bookings for the coming weeks are about half of what they used to be before the heightened alert.

He added: "We had not stopped taking reservations during this period, but we inform diners that they will be subject to actual restrictions and reopening dates."

Compared with the end of the circuit breaker last year, he noted: "Last year, the reopening was announced officially with about two weeks' notice. This time, nothing is really confirmed yet."

The Capitol Kempinski Hotel in Stamford Road, however, has seen a warmer response at its 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung restaurant this time around. Its managing director, Mr Matthias Al-Amiry, said: "This may be attributed to the confidence that stringent safety and social distancing measures are in place in dining places."

He said reservations had been coming in since early this month and the hotel expects a good turnout over the next weekend.

Private investor Chan Kwai Sum, who is in his 40s, said he has rescheduled his bookings at 1-Altitude in Raffles Place and the Mirazur pop-up at Mandala Club, both of which were scuppered by the ban on dining in. But the foodie is not planning any new reservations.

He said: "Unlike last year when the pent-up desire was high, now I don't feel so desperate to dine out at restaurants again. The (dining in ban period) is a shorter one this time, so I'm more relaxed about making bookings."