F&B operators welcome dining in but some concerned about differentiated rules
SINGAPORE — The resumption of dining in is a welcome relief for food and beverage (F&B) outlet operators in Singapore, even if it means having different sets of rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated diners.
While F&B business owners that Yahoo News Singapore contacted on Wednesday (11 August) said they expect an uptick in business, some expressed concerns about barring unvaccinated people from eating in at restaurants.
Under the current regulations, which kicked in on Tuesday, groups of up to five fully vaccinated people can eat together at restaurants, cafes and indoor foodcourts. Meanwhile, groups of up to two people can dine together at hawker centres and coffee shops regardless of their vaccination status.
"We have a small percentage of regulars who are unvaccinated due to health reasons. They enjoy being here not just for our food and drinks but for the camaraderie. This is their little chill out place," said Fiona Manini, who co-owns the Casa Manini restaurant in Serangoon Gardens.
"I feel sad that we can’t be welcoming them back any time soon," she added.
While Manini said she is "definitely happy" that dining in has been allowed again, she hopes that the unvaccinated will also be allowed to dine in at restaurants at some point, perhaps in groups of two.
For Min Siah, who owns the Starter Lab bakery along Havelock Road, the differentiated rules run counter to the "inclusive" ethos of her business. "It is challenging for us to turn away people who aren't vaccinated when we're a business that would prefer to see inclusiveness across the community," she said.
Siah added that having to check on the vaccination status of all diners can feel intrusive and affect interactions between diners and staff.
All the F&B operators contacted said they did not expect trouble from customers over the regulations, although some noted that it would still mean more work for their staff.
"We're a smaller restaurant so it's a bit easier to manage. But I have heard from some colleagues in the industry whose businesses are more volume based so they've got queues to check through, so it's added pressure," said Anthony Yeoh, who owns the Summer Hill bistrot near Sunset Way.
He said the new regulations were a "good step forward" for the industry and that, with close to 70 per cent of Singapore residents now fully vaccinated, he hopes everyone will eventually be allowed back into restaurants.
Melvin Chew, who runs the Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap stall at Chinatown Complex, said the new regulations would bring more business to hawker centres.
However, he noted that the limit of two diners might affect stalls such as those selling zi char (Chinese home-cooked dishes) or steamboat, which usually cater to larger groups.
Asked if he thought the differentiated rules were fair, Chew said, "We can't say that it's not fair because we know that hawker centres are very hard to control. Even during the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) you can see a lot of elderly diners breaking the rules...
"It's actually for our own safety."
Let the music play
Looking ahead, Siah said she hoped that more support would be given to foreign workers in the industry. "In terms of rental rebates, ideally, we'd like to see that pass directly onto business owners as well," she added.
Allowing restaurants to serve alcohol past the current cut-off time of 10.30pm would also be a boost for revenue, "probably more so than any government handout", said Yeoh.
He and Manini also hope the authorities will allow recorded music to be played in restaurants once again.
"Even if it's just background music, it just adds to the ambience, the experience, and will help us to attract customers. And make it a bit more pleasant for everyone in what's been a year of unpleasantness," said Yeoh.
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