What does the hospitality industry do in the context of the COVID-19 virus? | Inspiration May 18
As noted last week, we here in the Netherlands are still in an ‘Intelligent Lockdown’ which means, we’re all working from home if possible and our high schools, universities, restaurants, cafés, gyms, leisure centers, museums, etcetera are closed. But we can take a walk outside and shop for food and even shop at hardware stores and garden centers. As from May 11 our primary schools have re-opened as have the day-care centres but also hair and beauty salons and physiotherapist are allowed to re-open.
As from the first of June restaurants will re-open with a maximum of 30 persons inside, and a social distance of 6 feet, terraces are re-opening as well without a maximum of guests. This, of course, if the Covid-19 casualties remain low. Our government created a path in which they think our economy has to restart, with no festivals, concerts or congresses till the first of September and even gyms aren’t allowed till then. In the meantime we keep spotting all kind of inspiration worldwide around the hospitality industry.
With this week links to articles about the Robot dog Spot that is used in a park in Singapore to warm people to observe a social distance. And the Restaurant Brands International Inc. (Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes) considers designing face masks as part of their uniforms.
‘Care by Roseate Hotels & Resorts’ is an interesting article for those hotels who aren’t sure yet what measures to take to implement a touchless hospitality. And Eleven Madison Park’s chef-owner Daniel Humm says the coming back of his famous restaurant is a question mark.
The Frontline Stays Program by Airbnb has had 100,000 nights booking in free or subsidized accommodations for first responders. And check out the red puzzle by Heinz Canada! Would be appreciated by European puzzle and ketchup aficionados as well, especially during lockdown.
Stay healthy and take care of each other! ^Team Horecatrends
Click on the title if you like to read the full article. Enjoy reading!
Spot the robot is reminding parkgoers in Singapore to keep social distance
In Singapore, the municipal authorities are using Boston Dynamics’ four-legged Spot robot to remind park visitors to keep a safe distance from one another. The robot unit called Spot will patrol the city’s Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park as part of a two-week trial, broadcasting prerecorded messages “to remind park visitors to observe safe distancing measures.”
International brands consider designing face masks as part of their uniforms
An open letter from the CEO of Restaurant Brands International Inc., owner of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes, in which he states that reopening dining rooms requires both confidence and comfort. In the open letter he states, among more topics, that they have embraced the notion that parts of their restaurants need to change, for the foreseeable future and possibly forever. For instance, while we have mandated masks and gloves in the short-term, the brand and operations teams are evaluating more comfortable and reusable masks that may become part of their standard uniforms.
Care by Roseate Hotels & Resorts | Touchless hospitality
In a bid to minimise physical contact with guests at their hotels, Roseate Hotels and Resorts has launched ‘Care by Roseate’ which focuses on touchless hospitality. The hotel chain has completely remodelled their standard operating procedures and geared up to provide a safer environment for their guests at their 6 hotels and resorts in the UK and India.
A couple of examples of what ‘Care by Roseate’ involves (all at the website of cntraveller in the link in the title), we noticed and we think are inspiration:
- There will be a 24-hour gap between each stay and an alternate room occupancy policy to maintain social distancing.
- To ensure touchless usage of elevators, a staff member will be present to operate them with not more than three guests at a time.
Heinz Ketchup puzzle contest | A red Heinz tomato ketchup puzzle
Heinz Canada will only be releasing 57 kits of its 570-piece puzzle for serious puzzle aficionados and ketchup fans. The Contest started Tuesday May 5, 2020 and ended Friday May 8 and the contest was only open to legal residents in Canada. But those who won, have some serious puzzling ahead! During the Contest Period the HEINZ Ketchup brand did post about the HEINZ Ketchup Puzzle on their Social Media Platforms. To enter the Contest, puzzle and ketchup aficionados had to comment on the post telling Heinz who they would complete the Heinz Ketchup puzzle with. Check out the rules in the link in the title.
Eleven Madison Park’s chef-owner says coming back is a question mark
The future of Eleven Madison Park in New York, named the No. 1 restaurant in the world in 2017, is uncertain, says chef-owner Daniel Humm. According the article at Bloomberg (link in the title) the chef told them that it will take millions of dollars to reopen. Interesting article which gives some insight in the problem restaurants are facing to reopen after lockdown.
Frontline stays Program by Airbnb
Frontline Stays has been launched 6 weeks ago, it’s a new program which allows hosts to share their homes with those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, frontline workers have booked more than 100,000 nights in free or subsidized accommodations as part of this initiative. We wrote about this initiative early in April.
“Since launching Frontline stays 6 weeks ago, our community has offered over 200,000 places to stay to support the frontline responders fighting the spread of COVID-19,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb Co-founder, CEO and Head of Community. “I am inspired by the generosity of our hosts and grateful for the over 40 partners around the world who have joined us in helping to ensure that we can provide this resource during this time of global crisis.”
