I think it’s safe to say that most people still don’t have a clue what pubs, bars and restaurants are going to look like when we come out of lockdown.
I know for a fact that most business owners don’t really have much of a clue what’s happening and judging from what I’m seeing on the news, the government don’t either.
One thing’s for sure though, when places do start opening again there will be an increased focus on social distancing and cleanliness, all aiming to reduce another outbreak of the dreaded COVID-19.
Will pubs and restaurants be able to stay open with a reduced capacity due to social distancing? I don’t know. Probably not.
But one area which has seen some movement in the last week or so has been in the field of pre-ordering your food and drinks, something which will hopefully reduce the amount of people at bars and therefore – make the risk of spreading the disease much lower.
Two local companies have unveiled their plans for apps in the last week or so, with Bongo’s Bingo co-creator Joshua Burke coming up with GLUG, and the team from Viper revealing their own “buy at your table” web-app also.
Here’s the blurb from GLUG…
Glug is an innovative free app to order food and drink in advance, connect users with venues and plan social time with friends and family. It works for every kind of hospitality business, from the smallest countryside pub to the biggest nightclub or high-end eatery, to independent cafes, delis, intimate bars, bakeries and high street chains.
Similarly, Viper’s new web-app will enable customers to order food and drinks from their table and pay remotely, and they’ve even pledged to support Manchester’s independents by enabling them to use the system with zero set-up costs.
It’s pretty much guaranteed that there will be more apps popping up over the next couple of months or so – I suppose it’s you that will decide which one will come out tops.