Poor response to dine-in at restaurants in Mohali

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 25

Witnessing a poor response to the dine-in facility allowed by the Punjab Government after three months of the lockdown, the restaurant and hotel industry in the district is hoping for a better response from city residents.

At present, restaurants are witnessing only 10 per cent clientele causing anxiety among owners of famous eateries in the city. Many restaurants in the city have yet to start the facility keeping in view the expenditure on running the dine-in area, which will add to their financial stress.

Harvinder Singh of Katani Vaishno Dhaba in Phase 3B2 said, “Only 10 per cent people visit our dhaba after the dine-in facility started on Wednesday. We are properly sanitising restaurant and also providing sanitizer to our customers at the entry point.”

“The expenditure on running air-conditioners and paying salary of employees serving food to customers is much more than the amount earned by selling food items,” he added.

“People still fear moving out for dining. We hope that more and more people will visit our restaurant after watching other residents going out to have food,” he said.

The owner of Ocean View Restaurant, Gurjot Singh, said, “Most restaurants in the city have suffered losses running into several lakhs on account of stored raw material. Around 15 days stock is kept in store. Due to the lockdown raw material got spoilt and had to be thrown out.”

“Hardly 10 to 12 per cent people visit our restaurant since the dine-in facility was allowed by the government. As per my information, restaurants in Chandigarh are receiving good response as compared to Mohali,” he added.

A hotelier on the condition of anonymity said, “The timing of the dine-in facility should be increased till 10 pm as people like to have food only after 8 pm. Most restaurants have not started the dine-in facility as they are not hoping to receive customers as before the lockdown.”