Most restaurants have been trying to get through the COVID-19 pandemic on delivery and take out and are eager to have dine-in customers from June 8, even if that does little for the profit margins. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

dining out

Countdown to eating out, but forget the buffet

May 25, 2020 | 6:05 PM

Prince Albert restaurant owners are signaling a degree of relief as they start planning seating and table layouts for the re-opening of their main doors on June 8. However, the fact they won’t be able to open at full capacity means there may be some way to go before they’re operating at the profit margins they’d like.

…the roughest nine weeks I’ve ever experienced _{– Jeannette Kindzerski}

Phase three of the province’s reopen plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic will allow restaurants to resume business at 50 per cent of maximum capacity. However, buffets and self-serve sections will remain closed “at this time” according to the latest government protocols.

Cafeteria style yes, buffet no

“Thank God. This has been the roughest nine weeks I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Shananigans Bistro owner-operator Jeannette Kindzerski told paNOW as she plans her June. “I’ve had no catering [jobs] as everyone has been cancelling, so I have no revenue.”

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The owner of Shananigan’s makes most of her income from catering but is relieved to be getting some customers through the door from next month. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

Kindzerski welcomed the return to some sense of normalcy in her restaurant come June 8 but added the costs have been mounting over the many weeks of inactivity and she’s been scraping by on limited revenue from pick-up at the door or delivery. But she still has bills to pay.

“My power and utilities are very high here and my taxes are crazy. I wasn’t allowed to get a drive-thru,” she said.

Asked what she intended to do about her popular Sunday brunch buffet, she said she would have to work something out, and had not dismissed the idea of making it staff served as she’s been doing already for takeout.

…we have added responsibility to do our part _{– Harry Rai}

Turning his popular buffet offering into a more cafeteria style service is not on Harry Rai’s plate. He’s the owner-operator of The Spice Trail. He said his restaurant setup doesn’t offer the space to have his food on display and to have staff working behind it.

But Rai was hopeful customers would still want to flood back to his tables despite the buffet option being off the menu.

The Spice Trail won’t be able to serve a buffet for now but they figure many people are desperate to dine out. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

“In the background that’s all you hear, people just want to get back to as close to normal — whatever that is,” he said. “[The re-opening] is good news. We can open for dine-in, but that gives us added responsibility to do our part to [combat COVID-19.]”

His restaurant has been providing take-out and delivery during the pandemic.

Another popular Chinese restaurant that has relied heavily on a self-serve component inside is New World, which offers a daily buffet. It too will have to manage without, but owner Bob San remained optimistic.

New World offers a daily buffet but that can’t happen for the time being. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

“It’s good news and we’ll be open [for dine-in) on June 8. We have lots of space so we’ll be able to have social distancing. We’ve been offering take-out and delivery, but some customers want to dine here. We have a menu.”

Time to welcome customers and staff back

Meanwhile, a Prince Albert restaurateur figures the future of the buffet is in doubt. Devin Panchuk owns and operates Montana’s BBQ and Bar.

“I don’t see how a buffet can ever really come back … you know, everyone touching a handle,” he said. “Unless you’re going to have someone there and spoon the food for you, there’s no way that a buffet restaurant can come back from this now.”

Panchuk’s restaurant does not offer buffet items.

…to lay [staff] off was one of the saddest days of my life _{– Devin Panchuk}

As the countdown continues to next month’s continued relaxation of the lock down measures, he explained he had been working on plans to distance and stagger his seating to ensure all health protocols would be met. And he’s not only looking forward to welcoming back customers.

“It’s pretty sad going in every day and not seeing the people you expect to see there. We have some very long-term staff and to have to lay them off was one of the saddest days of my life,” he said.

But while Panchuk will be happy to open his doors to diners, the financial reality of the pandemic and the toll it has taken on all businesses is still very much at the forefront.

“It’s a relief. The big thing is we’re finally going to be in a position to break even, rather than lose money every day of the week.”

—

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow