Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[GoofGoof]

Actually in cities, some high-end restaurants are doing take-out or delivery, including Michelin star places. Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Eric Ripert, etc. A bunch of renowned chefs have made comments about it or have gone on Instagram or whathaveyou. I'm sure it's not the same as having the experience in the restaurant, but they are making it work.

I have a steakhouse near me that was doing burgers and deluxe sandwiches to go and they also were doing a cook it yourself option where you got the steaks and the vegetable and instructions on how to grill them at home. They also had signature drinks to go. Certainly not the same experience as eating there, but it was better than closing. I also have a good BBQ restaurant near me that switched to fried chicken sandwiches because business was too sporadic and good BBQ needs to be cooked all day. Just a few examples.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Well, some are, some aren't.

Sorry, I'm not on the train of blaming restaurants who didn't make it because they didn't "adapt or die".

That's the American entrepreneurial spirit!

 

[Chi84]

Actually in cities, some high-end restaurants are doing take-out or delivery, including Michelin star places. Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, Eric Ripert, etc. A bunch of renowned chefs have made comments about it or have gone on Instagram or whathaveyou. I'm sure it's not the same as having the experience in the restaurant, but they are making it work.

They're doing it, but I'm not sure I would go as far as saying they are "making it work." Alinea, Girl and the Goat, and others have started doing meal kits, but I doubt they can keep their heads above water doing this much longer. The truly big name restaurants probably have enough of a following to survive; the others, not so much. As @dreday3 pointed out, people go to these places for the experience, which includes ambiance and service in addition to food. Very few people are interested in getting an $80 lobster tail and a $200 bottle of wine "to go."

 

[dreday3]

It's great you all have these stories of restaurants you know of that were successful during the pandemic.

In the Chicago area, I think over 70 restaurants/bars permanently closed? That we know of.

To casually dismiss the loss of these restaurants as "well they should have adapted" is wrong in my opinion. And I find it interesting that some of those who want others to be so mindful of the health of other people seem to be quite callous to the job/business losses of other people.

 

[Chi84]

Well, some are, some aren't.

Sorry, I'm not on the train of blaming restaurants who didn't make it because they didn't "adapt or die".

Exactly. In my observation, people who favor restrictions tend to minimize the harm they do, while people who disfavor restrictions tend to minimize the good they do.

 

[aliceismad]

Well, some are, some aren't.

Sorry, I'm not on the train of blaming restaurants who didn't make it because they didn't "adapt".

Not all restaurants will survive covid, sadly. Restaurants are one of the hardest and riskiest businesses in non-covid times. As someone who lived off tips for a time, I sympathize with restaurants workers and how difficult it must be for some of those businesses. Many may try to adapt and find they still can't make it.

I'm not blaming restaurants for not adapting and making it work. I'm just saying that making a flat statement across the board that "They aren't packing that to go." isn't true.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

And I find it interesting that some of those who want others to be so mindful of the health of other people seem to be quite callous to the job/business losses of other people.

Cause I can get a new job. I can’t get a new parent.

 

[dreday3]

Cause I can get a new job. I can’t get a new parent.

What a simplistic view on life. Good for you!

 

[CatesMom]

I think you are overexaggerating how many restaurants switched to that model. Most higher end places I know of didn't even keep with pick up orders as it was costing more money to do that than it was worth. Some weathered the storm, some didn't.

Restaurants of all stripes have flourished in my area. There is a huge Facebook group dedicated to promoting local restaurants and reminding everyone to order out. My family rotates among many of them -- from the dive chili parlor to the highest end French cafe. The French cafe food travels surprisingly well. Many other restaurants have pivoted to sending the food home "deconstructed" with heating instructions. Lots of "family style" meals are available, too, which is obviously a switch from each person ordering separately from the menu.

We are just opening back up to indoor dining around here, and many restaurants haven't taken that step yet. Even for shops that have indoor dining, take out and creative outdoor seating both remain popular.

 

[dreday3]

Some of you really have on some rose-colored glasses about how well the restaurant/bar industry is doing these days...

It's nice some of you live in areas where not only were the restaurants able to adapt so quickly, but the neighborhood people were able to afford to order pick up and delivery so often, their finances were not affected at all by the pandemic, that you were all able to keep your restaurants afloat. The people around me are ordering pizzas.

Guys.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Some of you really have on some rose-colored glasses about how well the restaurant/bar industry is doing these days...

“I may have invented these bifocals, but I can assure you they are not Rose colored!”

 

[networkpro]

Can we stop with this "safety and political theater" nonsense? Countless posters here have linked countless real-world studies showing that masking and social distancing actually do reduce transmission.

I get it, the pandemic sucks. We all hate it. But we're all in this together. There are no guarantees in life (well, death, taxes, and increased Disney prices excepted), but if we can learn anything from prior pandemics and all the research conducted in this one, the same basic tools that got us out of previous pandemics are the most likely ones that will end this one... masking, social distancing, quarantining when necessary and vaccination. The longer we resist those measures for...I don't know, reasons, the longer this pandemic goes on.

This is not political, this is reality.

Notice that no one on either side is discussing the reduction in normal seasonal illnesses who's transmission have also been thwarted by these sanitation protocols. Colds, flu almost absent this past year.

 

[correcaminos]

Some of you really have on some rose-colored glasses about how well the restaurant/bar industry is doing these days...

It's nice some of you live in areas where not only were the restaurants able to adapt so quickly, but the neighborhood people were able to afford to order pick up and delivery so often, their finances were not affected at all by the pandemic, that you were all able to keep your restaurants afloat. The people around me are ordering pizzas.

Guys.

Not rose colored always. I know some owners. Some tried to adapt and still suffered. Others adapted and thrived. Same goes for a few different types of businesses. Where my company is based we had a very hard shut down. It was rough.

If you want to think that adapting didn't matter, that's fine. We lost a few because the owners admitted they didn't know what to do.

Even with a reduction of my spouse's salary and complete elimination of mine, we felt like supporting local was super important.

 

[Figgy1]

Notice that no one on either side is discussing the reduction in normal seasonal illnesses who's transmission have also been thwarted by these sanitation protocols. Colds, flu almost absent this past year.

I will say it's nice not to have my walking petri dishes bringing home every bug (microscopic or insect) under the sun home

 

[dreday3]

Not rose colored always. I know some owners. Some tried to adapt and still suffered. Others adapted and thrived. Same goes for a few different types of businesses. Where my company is based we had a very hard shut down. It was rough.

If you want to think that adapting didn't matter, that's fine. We lost a few because the owners admitted they didn't know what to do.

Even with a reduction of my spouse's salary and complete elimination of mine, we felt like supporting local was super important.

I didn't say adapting didn't matter. I said some couldn't. And I think "adapt or die" is kind of like blaming the restaurant business for all the losses they suffered the past year.

And I think that's very wrong.

And trust me, I know quite a few people where the $5 pizza from Little Caesar's was the big splurge they could afford for the week.
I think (most) everyone posting on a Disney board, myself included, should really realize how lucky they truly are.

 

[GoofGoof]

Some of you really have on some rose-colored glasses about how well the restaurant/bar industry is doing these days...

It's nice some of you live in areas where not only were the restaurants able to adapt so quickly, but the neighborhood people were able to afford to order pick up and delivery so often, their finances were not affected at all by the pandemic, that you were all able to keep your restaurants afloat. The people around me are ordering pizzas.

Guys.

I like pizza

Pizza places near me are doing really well. We even have a bit of a run down Wendy’s that rarely ever looked crowded before Covid that now has a drive thru line around the building every night. I definitely think fast food and pizza joints are the biggest beneficiary of people not eating out, plus grocery stores since people are cooking more at home. The biggest losers were high end restaurants and/or places that relied heavily on alcohol sales. It’s impossible to make up huge sales of wine/beer/liquor with takeout. Many restaurants will close and even some of the ones that don’t aren’t doing great, they are just getting by. Getting creative and making money any way they can could be the difference between staying in business and going under. Some did it successfully, some tried and failed and some never tried. I don’t blame the owners if they tried and failed or even if they didn’t try, I am just giving the successful ones credit for figuring it out. I’ve seen some creative stuff that’s pretty impressive.

 

[GoofGoof]

Out of 800,000+ people fully vaccinated in Minnesota they have confirmed 89 fully vaccinated people tested positive. A rate of 0.01%. In 2021 Minnesota has had over 90,000 confirmed Covid cases with a total population of 5.6M people or a rate of 1.6% of the population infected. Of the 89 people in the vaccine group infected none died or had serious illness. In the general population 1,400 people have died this year. Since the vaccine group is 1/6 the size of unvaccinated group to adjust the number of deaths based on the group equivalent size that‘s the equivalent of 233 deaths vs none in the vaccine group. Pretty compelling evidence that the vaccine is highly effective at preventing serious illness and also death.

Minnesota reports 89 COVID-19 cases in vaccinated individuals

Minnesota has identified 89 "breakthrough" cases of COVID-19 in which people contracted the infectious disease after being fully vaccinated. None of these cases are among Minnesota's 6,798 COVID-19 deaths, including nine deaths reported Wednesday, and doctors said even those that were...

www.yahoo.com

 

[CatesMom]

Some of you really have on some rose-colored glasses about how well the restaurant/bar industry is doing these days...

It's nice some of you live in areas where not only were the restaurants able to adapt so quickly, but the neighborhood people were able to afford to order pick up and delivery so often, their finances were not affected at all by the pandemic, that you were all able to keep your restaurants afloat. The people around me are ordering pizzas.

Guys.

Agreed that many people in my area -- including me -- are fortunate to be able to afford regular dinners out (pizza delivery tonight, actually -- that's pretty universal). Happy to be in a position to help keep local restaurants open and wait staff employed.

 

[dreday3]

Agreed that many people in my area -- including me -- are fortunate to be able to afford regular dinners out (pizza delivery tonight, actually -- that's pretty universal). Happy to be in a position to help keep local restaurants open and wait staff employed.

And I do think it's great that there are people like you (and others here) who are able to do it and bother to do it! It's so important.

 

[ABQ]

I like pizza

Pizza places near me are doing really well. We even have a bit of a run down Wendy’s that rarely ever looked crowded before Covid that now has a drive thru line around the building every night. I definitely think fast food and pizza joints are the biggest beneficiary of people not eating out, plus grocery stores since people are cooking more at home. The biggest losers were high end restaurants and/or places that relied heavily on alcohol sales. It’s impossible to make up huge sales of wine/beer/liquor with takeout. Many restaurants will close and even some of the ones that don’t aren’t doing great, they are just getting by. Getting creative and making money any way they can could be the difference between staying in business and going under. Some did it successfully, some tried and failed and some never tried. I don’t blame the owners if they tried and failed or even if they didn’t try, I am just giving the successful ones credit for figuring it out. I’ve seen some creative stuff that’s pretty impressive.

Because we're all about studies and stats around here, here's one from Fortune magazine.

I'll highlight a few parts for the TLDR coverage:

It should come as no surprise then that many restaurants were forced to shutter in 2020, but the numbers are still shocking. More than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments in the United States closed for business—temporarily or permanently—last year, with nearly 2.5 million jobs erased from pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Restaurant Association. And restaurant and foodservice industry sales fell by $240 billion in 2020 from an expected level of $899 billion.

Of restaurants that closed permanently in 2020, the majority were established businesses and fixtures in their communities; these eateries had been in business, on average, for 16 years, and 16% had been open for at least 30 years. Within this subgroup, these restaurants employed an average of 32 people; and 17% employed at least 50 people before they closed.
​

I'm sure the number would have been higher than 110k, that quite a few others did make it through, but it's not like every one of them had that ability.