Transitioning into Alert Level 3 next week will mean kai will be able to be ordered by phone and delivered and collected from the curbside.
While the option will provide a lifeline for some food services, it is still not a viable option for many restaurants around the country, including Hiakai restaurant in Wellington which specialises in Māori cuisine.
The chef and owner of Hiakai, Monique Fiso, says she looked into the option to provide a click and collect service when the country reaches Level 3, but decided it wasn’t the best solution.
“Mainly because Hiakai is not just about the food. A big part of our success is the experience and the service we provide, she says.
"We decided it was better to invest our time into working on our current offering and working on things we hadn’t had time to do pre-lockdown, rather than invest our time into something that may only last for two weeks.”
She says being in lockdown has taken a huge toll on the business.
“We are now reaching one month that we haven’t been able to trade so it has taken a huge toll on us financially but we’re really positive. New Zealand is in a great position and we’ve used the time to reflect.”
Chief executive of the New Zealand Restaurant Association (NZRA) Marisa Bidois says about 30 per cent of her members say Level 3 is going to be a lifeline for them.
“For those businesses that can open or have a takeaway part of their business established prior to the lockdown, those are the businesses that are really in the best position to make the most of Level 3.”
For fine dining establishments, she says starting a delivery service for only two weeks isn’t worth it.
“For many businesses, it’s not quite right for them especially for the two week period.”
Bidois says NZRA is working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to put together a guideline for food services and restaurants to help them transition back into the workforce.
She says it will include information to help businesses keep their staff and clients safe including guidelines on how to plan shifts for their staff, manage social distancing and coordinate curbside pickups.
