In case you missed it, Singapore’s entering Phase 3 on 28 Dec 2020.
Essentially, this means that the maximum number of people in a group has increased from five to eight.
And now, restaurants are now feeling the impact of the change.
Eateries Have Started Receiving Bookings for Groups of 8; Some Even Booking for CNY Dinner
Since 14 Dec 2020 when PM Lee announced the upcoming start of Phase 3, many restaurants have been receiving bookings for groups of 8.
Keng Eng Kee Seafood Restaurant, located at Bukit Merah lane, has been getting many calls from customers looking to make reservations for eight pax.
By about 4.40pm, the restaurant already has almost 12 reservations for the newly-adjusted limit.
It’s not just for December, either, and the restaurant has been receiving enquiries for its Chinese New Year plans as well.
Increase In Reservation Nationwide
Eateries, both big and small, have seen an increase in the number of reservations made for their tables.
People who made reservations previously also called in to change their bookings and increase the size of their groups.
It’s not just restaurants, either, and Chope is seeing a spike in online activities too.
According to the Singapore general manager of Chope, Jean Wee, they saw a 28 per cent increase in reservations and a 33 per cent increase in the number of seats reserved.
However, the increases are only for reservations of up to five pax as Chope is still working with restaurants to increase the booking capacity limit on their app when they’re ready.
Smaller F&B Outlets Not Seeing Much Response
Not every F&B outlet is seeing a drastic increase in response from the change, however.
Smaller F&B outlets, on the other hand, are not seeing much responses as their premises are too small.
They can only accommodate smaller groups in order to adhere to safe distancing measures.
Symmetry Cafe in Kampong Glam and Xiao Ya Tou restaurant bar in Tanjong Pagar did not see much increase in their reservations as they are both located in shophouses, which has small interiors.
More Manpower Needed
On a separate, and more positive, note, the change in the size of bookings resulted in the need for more manpower.
Keng Eng Kee Seafood is planning to increase its manpower by 10 per cent to cope with the increased workload, especially in making sure that safe distancing measures are kept to.
Godmama Peranakan restaurant also said that it is looking to hire three more part-timers.
Capitaland is also helping out Godmama Peranakan restaurant by allowing them to place their tables outside of their premises to increase its capacity.
PM Lee 14 Dec Message
On 14 Dec 2020, PM Lee has two important pieces of news for people in Singapore.
The first is, of course, the start of Phase 3 on 28 Dec 2020.
Current border restrictions will also be eased gradually and more recently, a new travel initiative for business people from all over the world was introduced.
The second is that Covid-19 vaccinations will be free all Singaporeans. Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine is approved for use in Singapore although not all groups are advised to undergo vaccination just yet.
You can find out more about it here.
Featured Image: jumoobo / Shutterstock.com
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