Today feels familiar but also strange: we are in lockdown again with hospitality venues closed and people working from home in greater numbers. But last time, the scale was not known and the lockdown was open-ended; this time (we’re told) it’s for four weeks. And in addition, this time many of our restaurants are more prepared.
While I have no doubt that this is another brutal blow in a challenging year, it’s encouraging that the number of meal deliveries and box kits are growing and that the appetite for them (pun intended) is growing too. To see a selection of meal kits tried and loved by the CODE team, click here
Yesterday I had lunch with a friend who had opened his first restaurant just last week. Terrible timing, through no fault of his own, but he was encouraged by how full it was during those early days and how many diners and passers-by were asking what the restaurant would be doing during the lockdown. Would they do takeaways or deliveries? I think this time around, having grown bitterly fed up with our own cooking and having missed the warmth and deliciousness of dining out, much of the public values and appreciates restaurants with a new enthusiasm.
Anything restaurants can do (with either local delivery or nationwide service) to keep themselves in the forefront of minds during these cold and lacklustre weeks ahead is a good thing. I’ll be popping into Jikoni later tonight to pick up the Comfort & Joy order which I placed as soon as I knew all my plans for November would be cancelled. It’ll be the first of many – if I can’t go out, I can do the next best thing and escape via an online menu.
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