With the UK now in its second lockdown period of the year, the question of how small businesses are going to survive is even more important than ever. Restaurants, in particular, are set to be some of the most affected. While some of the damage was offset by the Eat Out to Help Out scheme that was introduced during the summer, there’s no denying that this time of year, with the festive season just around the corner, is often a key one for many restaurants. Lockdown is set to end at the beginning of December 2020, but there’s no guarantee that this will happen – leaving many restaurant owners wondering what business is going to look like for them when we finally come out the other end.

COVID-19 Vaccine – Could We Be Back to Normal Soon?

News of a new promising COVID-19 vaccine broke recently, giving restaurant owners some hope that they might be back to business as normal in time for Christmas. If the vaccine is successful and rolled out quickly, it’s likely that the national lockdown will be lifted as expected on the 2nd December, giving restaurants the chance to take all those Christmas bookings. Even more exciting is that the vaccine may help us get back to normal and spend time with family and friends again without the social distancing restrictions we’ve been dealing with for months. For restaurants, this can only be good news.

Delivery Partners

Delivery partners like Deliveroo and Uber Eats have saved many restaurants this year. Smaller restaurants that might not be able to offer their own delivery services can partner up with these services to provide a takeaway option to customers in lockdown. And since Deliveroo and Uber Eats are well-trusted brands that are widely used, they’ve managed to put some restaurants on the map. Customers who might never have known a certain restaurant existed in their area might stumble across them on Uber Eats, order a meal for delivery and end up visiting the restaurant once it’s reopened. Along with helping restaurants survive through the pandemic, delivery partners can also help restaurants grow.

Delivery Gifts

With Christmas just around the corner and people eager to support their local restaurants throughout these difficult times, one great idea to help restaurants continue bringing in a profit throughout the lockdown is to offer gift voucher options. If we do end up in lockdown over the festive period, a Deliveroo gift card could be the perfect gift idea for a friend or family member who is missing going out for a nice meal at this time of year. Deliveroo gift cards can be used at any restaurant that is offering delivery through Deliveroo, making them the perfect gift idea for a foodie in your life – and a great way to support local businesses through these times too. You can order a Deliveroo e-gift card – the perfect socially distanced gift idea – right here: https://www.giftsvouchers.co.uk/gift-cards/deliveroo.

Restaurants have been some of the most affected businesses by the current pandemic. If you’re eager to support local restaurants and eateries throughout these tough times, consider ordering delivery services and encouraging others to do the same.