Page 29 - FoodFocusThailand No.185 August 2021

SPECIAL FOCUS

making robot in Robosta Café, Bangkok Hospital, Thailand where in-car or in-room food service, despite its failure to obtain originally intended
assists customers in self-service experience and results, succeeded in garnering public attention and sparking viral interest in the business.
accepts touchless in-app payment. 6. Business Adjustment While conventional forms of food service and food catering
2. Temperature monitoring, temperature remain under restriction, alternative business strategies, such as delivery, may need to be
regulation, and microbiological control technologies temporarily deployed to keep business afloat during these critical times.
are implemented in the serving of food and COVID-19 Impacts on Businesses
beverage to large groups of visitors in, for example, The food service and food catering industry is as heavily afflicted as that of tourism. According
hospitals, hotels, and restaurants. Since food to Kasikorn Research Center, the food service sector has, in general, shrunk by over 6%,
temperature control is a particularly challenging losing an equivalent of THB 4.04 trillion of the total market value. The government-imposed
task, temperature-controlled cabinets are utilized restrictions on dine-in venues and food catering operations in high-risk areas, public fear,
to sustain optimum food quality and savor until the and absence of international travelers have cut down the sector’s revenue by 70-80%.
food is completely served. Regardless of the government’s efforts to encourage consumer spending through relief
Strategies for Successful Food plans such as Khon La Krueng (Let’s Go Halves), Rao Chana (We Win), and Rao Rak Kan
(We Love Each Other), the sector has not enjoyed substantial benefits from said schemes.
Service and Food Catering Business
1. Participant Screening Participant screening Future Prospects of the Food Service and Food Catering Business
measures for the coronavirus during an ongoing The full-service food service and food catering business is projected to expand by only
food service and food catering operation are difficult 0.7%, but in a more negative light it may experience a considerable setback by 12.0%. It
to put into practice as infected individuals may not is expected to perform better than in the last year but not as well as in 2019. Moreover, the
necessarily exhibit high fever as previously ongoing mass vaccination efforts are unlikely to be completed by the end of the year, thus
understood. Nevertheless, having screening causing a further delay of the anticipated full restoration of consumer confidence. Such
equipment readily installed, such as temperature prospect seems less promising than that of other food businesses like small-scale restaurants
checker, alcohol sanitizer, and other relevant or street food stalls, which are more affordable and accessible for the public. The post-
paraphernalia, can help put participants’ minds at COVID-19 directions of the food service and food catering sector are, however, predicted
ease when they receive the services. to improve and lead to an expansion of the market value once more in the future.
2. Monitoring Staff Health Care In the last
The sector’s eventual growth notwithstanding, risks still persist. Multiple factors, such
year, several catering and function venues were as the severity of the pandemic situation or the government’s policies and relief schemes
ordered to temporarily shut down due to intentional for consumers and entrepreneurs, must carefully be taken into consideration to ensure
concealment of infection among employees, which
led to higher risks of virus exposure among effective implementation of proper business strategies.
unknowing guests. Hence, symptomatic or high-risk
staff members, such as those in close contact with
infected individuals or living in risk-prone More Information Service Info C003
neighborhoods, should disclose their COVID-19-
related information to their superiors and colleagues
so that suitable preventive measures can be taken
in accordance with the organization’s standards.
3. Service Standardization for Social
Distancing Food service operations inevitably
involve instances in which guests need to remove
their masks. One of the solutions that can effectively
help mitigate the risks is no other than social
distancing. Food service and food catering
businesses should adopt certain regulatory
measures such as restriction of self service,
advance reservation requirement, avoidance of
queuing, clearly designated order and pick-up
areas, or kitchen-to-table service. Seats and tables
should be well spaced and alternate seating should
be provided. To minimize the waste of space,
customers in the same group can be seated at the
same table where transparent partitions are
installed.
4. Adjustment of Specific Foods and
Serving Practices Food can be served in a
recipient covered with a lid to optimize hygiene and
safety. In addition, raw foods may be replaced with
well-cooked alternatives and served in moderate,
bite-size portions to minimize physical contact.
5. More Creativity The adoption of anti-
COVID-19 strategies does not need to minutely
follow every piece of other people’s advice. Instead,
more creativity should be deployed in compliance
with the government’s established measures. A
different strategy can translate into a higher level
of popularity, which consequently may boost the
chance of attracting potential customers. This was
evident during the third wave of COVID-19 in
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