1

2

6

4

3

5

SHOW UP

For restaurants, a no-show is always disappointing. But now, with

such limited capacity, a group not turning up to their booking or

cancelling last minute can seriously deplete a restaurant’s revenue.

“It’s quite hard,” says Tasso Della Noce, general manager at Icebergs

Dining Room & Bar in Sydney. “If someone goes onto a set menu,

which is usually prepped and laid out beforehand, then you can’t

really sell that à la carte,” he says. “We also staff for groups, so if

there’s a cancellation or a no-show we have to send staff home.”

SELF-ASSESS

While cancelling last-minute can hurt, it’s important to note that

if diners are not feeling well they should stay at home. “I think with

larger groups, everyone needs to do that self-assessment before

going out,” says Way. “I think that idea of not wanting to let your

mates down or cancel because of a cold has all been turned on its

head now. Everyone would prefer for you to stay at home if you

felt like you had a bit of a sniffle.”

ARRIVE AT YOUR ALLOCATED TIME

Guests not arriving at their allocated time can lead to large crowds

filtering out onto the streets; not only is this a health hazard, it can

also result in the restaurant incurring a hefty fine. “If you’re in a large

group and you arrive 15 minutes early, your table won’t be ready,”

says Way. “You’re not legally allowed to wait inside, so you have

to crowd onto the street and it just becomes a bit of a jigsaw.”

STAY SEATED

Rules are now in place to limit the amount of “mingling” within and

between large groups. This requires guests to remain seated, with little

to-ing and fro-ing between tables. “We are in a very communal area,”

says Judith Hurley, general manager at Gerard’s Bistro in Brisbane.

“When people used to walk past the restaurant, they would see

someone they knew and pop in to say hello. They can’t do that now.”

OPT FOR THE SET MENU

Many restaurants, like Gerard’s Bistro, are exclusively offering a set

menu, no matter the size of the dining party. For restaurants that are

still offering à la carte, opting for a group set menu makes life a lot

easier, for both diners and the restaurant. “The set menu is the way to

go,” says Della Noce. “It makes the customer happy because things

come out on time, and kitchen-wise they can prep and plan for it.”

RESPECT THE PROCEDURES

To ensure restaurants stay open, it’s imperative diners abide by the

venue’s regulations. This means sanitising, signing in and expecting

to have your temperature checked. “There’s an onus on the guest

to understand that we’re not putting in these things to make people’s

lives harder,” says Way. “We want everyone to come in and have

a great time. But it’s about staying safe and working with the venue

to make sure we all do the right thing.” ●

GOURMET TRAVELLER 73