Restaurant owners: No alcohol with in-house dining cuts our sales

RESTAURANT owners say while the resumption of in-house dining is “a step in the right direction,” not being able to serve alcohol complicates the experience.

The Prime Minister on Saturday announced restaurants can allow in-house dining at a 50 per cent capacity but with no alcohol. He also said groups of more than ten at one table will not be allowed.

Dr Rowley said, "Alcohol has shown and been shown to be one of the contributors to the results that we don't want where people consume alcohol and it reduces their level of responsibilities."

"For now, we require a higher level of sustained responsibility."

Owner of Trotters Restaurant Group Peter George told Newsday he “doesn’t see how alcohol is a problem.”

He said, “This decision does not help restaurants like ours and many others like it where the alcohol is 40 per cent of the sales. I don’t see how you come out to dinner and you have a glass of wine, how that is a problem.

"And with the resumption of in-house dining, all your costs are going to go back up. You need security, front-of-the-house staff, waitresses, hostesses, full kitchen staff cleaning crew. But you gonna have 50 per cent capacity and then only food.”

He said alcohol is one of the main reasons people go out.

Trotters’ San Fernando branch was recently closed indefinitely and was supposed to reopen whenever in-house dining was allowed once again.

In response to this, he said, “I leave that decision to my managers.

“What this is going to do now is give an opportunity for people to get back out to work. It is a welcome step in the right direction but as far as the opening I am going to leave it up to my managers. Because from a financial perspective alone, it is better to stay closed and do takeaway.”

Ryan Chin, director at Dachin Group of Companies, which includes Texas de Brazil, Rizzoni's Ristorante Italiano, and Jaxx International Grill said the decision to not have alcohol is “a big takeaway from the sales."

“We think that it could have been having us manage what guests consume and so on. But obviously, we are still very thankful to have the in-house dining. We are not taking anything for granted.

“We can probably offer mocktails and more non-alcoholic drinks to add to that experience because they come to dine and come to drink.”

But he said he still expects a slow and steady response by the public to return to restaurants for dining.

“There’s no guarantee in any industry that when you open back that the capacity will be 50 per cent. But at least the option is there and people can make their own choice in their best interest.”