The Wizard of Za owner Spencer Saylor, putting a fresh-made pizza in the box for a customer to pick up. Credit: Courtesy of Steven Pavelka
Despite excitement about being able to replace carry-out and delivery with in-person dining once more, some restaurant owners say pandemic practices will continue to impact the way they run their businesses.
Eating and drinking with friends and family at restaurants was a normal staple of life before COVID-19 forced most eateries to transition to primarily carry-out services in order to maintain business. As vaccines are more available and eating out once again becomes a normal facet of life, some restaurant owners said they are looking forward to transitioning back to a traditional style of dining, with some modifications.
Josh Weprin, co-founder of Fusian, a Cincinnati-based sushi restaurant with multiple locations in the Columbus area, said the pandemic clearly limited customers’ ability to enjoy food socially. However, as the pandemic comes to a close, he said people will finally be able to publicly break bread with family and friends.
“I feel that people are going to rejoice and celebrate,” Weprin said.
Weprin said the convenience of food and the many ways in which it can travel from prep to plate will be a learning experience moving forward but is looking forward to once again providing a well-rounded dining experience in person.
“Going to a full-service restaurant, those types of restaurant experiences really need to happen within those four walls,” Weprin said. “And it’s not just about the food. It’s about the ambiance, the vibe and the experience.”
Weprin’s belief is shared by Spencer Saylor, owner of The Wizard of Za, a pizza shop in Clintonville. Saylor, who started his business during the pandemic, said there will likely continue to be an increase in the number of people wanting to dine in with their families post-pandemic.
However, Saylor said a portion of people have gotten used to the comfort of eating from home and having their food experiences on the go.
“For a lot of people, this is going to be the new norm for them,” Saylor said. “They enjoy utilizing delivery services, enjoy picking it up and taking it wherever they want.”
Weprin said because this generation has experienced a pandemic during a time of pervasive and advanced technology, they have realized the ease of ordering from home. He said he thinks personalized, branded apps will continue to be a part of the restaurant industry.
Saylor said overall, the pandemic has caused the restaurant industry to take another look at its business models when it comes to accommodating customers who prefer to eat in and those who want takeout.
“You’ve got to be able to now serve multiple different facets of people and their dining habits now, because that’s how it’s going to be moving forward,” Saylor said.
He said the pandemic has taught him to be versatile in his approaches to the business and to focus on the food he knows he does well.
“A lot of folks that had to close their restaurants — that are closed for good or closed temporarily — it’s because when all this happened, they didn’t have the infrastructure in place to allow for carryout,” Saylor said.
Marissa Starkey, manager at High Street Nutrition, a cafe near campus, said the pandemic provided a refresher on protecting oneself and the community.
Starkey said she adjusted to the pandemic by creating a text-ahead service to allow people to order ahead of time and have their food placed on top of their cars.
“If COVID-19 was not a thing, we may have not transitioned to that,” Starkey said. “That was our way of no-contact, and we will continue to use that even after everything is cleared and opened.”
Saylor said most people get into the restaurant business for the people and for the opportunity to allow customers to create memories through good food and a pleasing atmosphere, not for creating profit, and that he is looking forward to creating those experiences once more.
“We are looking forward to being able to really enjoy our customers and talk with them,” Saylor said. “That’s going to be huge for what we do this for, we do this to get to know our customers and give them a cool experience and something different.”
