Restaurant bookings boom as COVID-19 restrictions ease

Restaurants and cafes are being booked out with long waiting lists as Queenslanders are desperate to eat out after almost two months of eatery closures.

RESTAURANTS and cafes across the state have been inundated with bookings for this weekend, as Queenslanders take advantage of eased COVID-19 restrictions allowing up to 10 patrons to dine in an eatery.

While venues must adhere to strict social distancing rules, accommodating just one patron per 4sq m, diners are desperate to eat out after almost two months of closures, joining lengthy waitlists for the chance.

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Various eateries from the Gold Coast to Cairns are reporting being completely booked out for the next two weekends, but all stress there are plenty of tables available during the week.

They have also voiced concerns about diners possibly failing to show up for bookings, saying it would have severe financial implications with margins already minimal.

Brisbane restaurateur Nick Pinn, who owns three venues in the River City: Vaquero in Albion, and Drum Dining and Malt Pier both in Newstead, said his phones had been ringing off the hook and his inbox flooded with booking requests since the government’s announcement that restaurants could reopen to diners from today.

Owner Nick Pinn and chef Damon Porter at Albion restaurant Vaquero will be welcoming 10 patrons at a time from May 16. Picture: Annette Dew

“It’s giving us a little bit of inspiration that maybe we can top up these numbers that we’ve been doing with takeaway and stay in contact with the people and let them know that we are fighting through this and … that we will be coming back,” he said.

Mr Pinn said he would continue to offer takeaway at all three venues as he couldn’t afford not to, but having dine-in customers would help.

“With the 10 covers at one time there’s the potential to (do three sittings and) get up to 30 people through in a night which, with the support we’re getting from the government with the JobKeeper and landlord support in some cases, it kind of is incremental business,” he said.

However, Mr Pinn warned the public not to expect the usual dining experience, with huge gaps between tables to affect the mood and ambience.

“I’m hopeful that people are just going to be happy to be out and enjoying something different, but it will be different, there’s no question,” he said.

He also said diners not turning up for bookings would have huge financial impacts on eateries. While he didn’t want to take deposits for tables, he revealed it may become necessary if no-shows became a trend.

“If people are out there booking four different restaurants on the Saturday night, just to see what they can get and they show up to one, then the other three miss out and they miss out on bookings that would have potentially come from other people,” Mr Pinn said. “So we’re hopeful that the public is doing the right thing and they see how skinny this is for us.”

John Gambaro will open his Gambaro Seafood Restaurant and Black Hide Steakhouse, both in Caxton St, Petrie Terrace to diners as part of new lifted restrictions. Picture: Richard Walker

Iconic Brisbane seafood restaurant Gambaro at Petrie Terrace and its sister restaurant Black Hide Steakhouse across the road have also been flooded with requests from diners for a table, booking out tonight and filling up fast for next weekend.

The restaurants will offer set menus with a choice of dishes, while continuing their takeaway service Gambaro2Go, as owner John Gambaro said 10 patrons – even with multiple sittings – would not be enough to cover operational costs.

“It’s a small step to move forward but I’m happy to get on-board,” Mr Gambaro said. “It’s about connecting back with the community … it says thank you for your support and we’re moving again.”

Farm House cafe in Kedron, in Brisbane’s north, is completely booked out this weekend, though they’re still taking bookings for weekdays. Owner Amanda Scott said opening for just 10 customers at a time instead of their usual 110 capacity would be “fussy and fiddly and expensive”, but it was good for staff morale and was a great way to reward the loyal customers who had supported them.

Owner of The Wolfe in East Brisbane Josh Lopez is excited to welcome customers into his business after weeks of only doing takeaway. Picture: John Gass

Owner of East Brisbane fine diner The Wolfe Josh Lopez said he had been overwhelmed and humbled by the amount of reservations for his tiny venue, with groups of 10 booking out the entire restaurant for his five-course set dinner menu.

“We’ve had a couple of days booked out for birthdays or even for anniversaries,” Mr Lopez said. “It is our locals and our regulars that have been the early adopters.”

Mr Lopez said he would continue his takeaway offering of lobster rolls and tacos that had gained a cult following, but was excited to have customers in-house again.