Calgary restaurants hit hard by new COVID-19 restrictions are trying to survive the holidays by offering traditional “holiday” meals.
Many restaurants have jumped on the idea, putting individual- or family-sized meals on the menu — available for takeout and delivery.
“We call it gourmet TV dinner,” chef Judy Wood told Global News. “It’s very comfort focused.”
Wood runs Meez Cuisine, a local kitchen and catering business. She said catering orders have dwindled to next to nothing so this is a great opportunity to cook up some business.
“It’s about 60 to 65 per cent down in sales for us,” she said. “November and December is even lower because that’s when restaurants and caterers and everybody — we do our peak at that time.
“All we really have is the online store — that’s the heart of our business right now, and that’s what’s paying the bills.”
The holiday meals which focus on turkey, gravy and other offerings are also prepared with extra precautions. Wood said all of her staff are temperature checked and socially distanced in her large commercial kitchen. Orders also have to be called ahead and picked up outside or delivered safely.
Wood said the response to the traditional meals has been incredible — so much so, she’s going to have to cut off orders by the weekend.
“The holiday takeout is huge and we’ve had incredible support,” she said.
“I know we’ll get it done… Even if I have to pull an all-nighter, I will get your turkeys!”
Moonlight & Eli Champagne & Fondue Bar has seen the same kind of response — even though it is not offering turkey.
“Turkey is nice and everything,” owner Mhairi O’Donnell said. “But melted cheese — there’s not a lot better.”
O’Donnell said the holidays are traditionally her business’ most lucrative time of the year.
“Normally it’s pretty insane, especially the last couple of weeks leading into Christmas, so of course we’re not as busy as that,” she said.
Luckily for the family-owned restaurant, Calgarians also have an appetite for its takeout holiday meals.
“We became fully booked a couple of days ago, so we expanded how much we could do,” O’Donnell said. “We’ve about doubled the number of fondue and champagne kits.”
The business has also expanded even more for the holidays, designing a self-contained condo to look just like its restaurant, which customers can book for the night.
“Necessity is the mother of invention and it’s necessary right now to reinvent yourself,” O’Donnell said. “Because it doesn’t matter — lockdown or not — people still have to celebrate.”
O’Donnell said pandemic precautions are also abundant at her business. Sanitization is done frequently, payments are taken over the phone and takeout and delivery is done with as little contact as possible.
Alberta restaurants need your help
The need for restaurant “reinvention” is dire in Alberta.
According to Restaurants Canada, the province has lost 10 per cent of its restaurants to the COVID-19 pandemic this year.
The industry group also said thousands of establishments across the province are struggling to survive as they face a quiet holiday season with new restrictions, fewer customers and concerns about paying rent, payroll and suppliers.
Restaurants Canada has now launched a campaign encouraging the public to picture their lives without restaurants.