Can the buffet survive Covid?

Covid-19 has forced a fundamental rethink of the food and beverage (F&B) industry in order to survive, with one of the most popular features of dining in Asia -- the buffet -- potentially becoming a sacrificial lamb. The three panelists of “Food For Thought” on the final day of the Australasian Gaming Expo were largely in agreement on the broad themes, including the notion that the changes happening to the F&B industry now are not going to simply disappear as the pandemic subsides, but that many of transformations will endure. Pubs and clubs in Australia, and presumably in many other parts of the world, need to recalibrate their business strategies across multiple spheres. First of all, if they wish to entice customers out of the perceived safety of their homes and into their brick and mortar venues, they need to present unique offerings. People are thinking much harder than they used to about when and why they will go out on the town, so ordinary food items that they can easily make at home just aren’t going to cut it, noted Le Cordon Bleu Sydney Program Manager, Karen Doyle. Chef, educator, and advisor Tawnya Bahr agreed, stating that the pandemic was creating “a spike of innovation and creativity” in the F&B industry. She encourages pubs and clubs to “think outside the box,” including the formation of new collaborations with local farmers who may also have lost some of their business as a result of Covid-19. Naturally, all the panelists agreed, such venues need to reassure their customers that every precaution is being taken to create a safe and sanitary environment. This includes appropriate signage and careful training of employees. “Buffets are dead” in the Covid-19 era, noted Unilever Food Solutions Corporate Executive Chef Andrew Ballard, pointing to one of the ways food service has already changed. This is now the age of food portion control and contactless service. Other necessary measures are to ensure shorter table stays, customers who show up on time for their reservations, and a trimming of the menu to focus only on those items which produce the highest sales. But perhaps as much as the dining in experience, F&B outlets also need to innovate in their takeaway food options. Ballard notes that 95 percent of operators are now engaged in some form of this business, adding that “takeaway is here to stay.” Again, the F&B operators need to design their takeaway options too on food that is not easily made at home. This can include both ready to eat meals as well as specialized kits that require some home preparation. To survive economically, the innovation needs to be not only in the food, but in the exploration of cheaper delivery options and various events and promotions that can be “piggybacked” upon.  Alongside the takeaway service is the creation of a retail arm for the food products, both to create an additional revenue stream and, as Bahr put, because it “keeps their brand front of mind.” When questioned about the impact on sustainability, there was a reluctant acknowledgement that Covid-19 has been a negative factor. “Sustainability has sort of gone out the window a bit when it comes to health,” stated Ballard. In the short term, the use of plastics has increased as they are the safest and cheapest available options for pubs and clubs. Recent progress in bring-your-own-mugs and related policies have been stopped dead. The panelists clearly didn’t like this conclusion, and they hoped and expected that innovation and technological progress might soon alleviate the sustainability crisis as well. Doyle drew attention to the fact that increased portion control has at least had the benefit of largely eliminating food waste, which is also a sustainability issue. Finally, it was suggested, particularly by Ballard, that better communication with customers is also a must. This means effective use of electronic direct mail, social media, and even the personal touch such as handwritten notes of thanks to customers. Overall, the panelists made it clear that the F&B industry needs to be fast on its feet and quickly adaptable in an age of unparalleled challenges.