Restaurant bosses explain how ‘dining etiquette’ can help their business

If you’ve eaten out lately, you would know there’s a whole new way to wine and dine.

IF you’ve eaten out lately, you would know there’s a whole new way to wine and dine.

No more mid-morning brunch which accidentally turns into arvo drinks and ends with rocking up to a restaurant in the evening.

If we want to go out for a meal, we need to plan it and book it a week in advance, turn up on time and be out the door before the next wave of patrons make their way in.

Pandemic etiquette when venues must abide by paton limits means cancelling late or lingering after is not the done thing.

It’s the new normal and hospitality bosses are relying on us to follow it. Anything else, some say, is economic vandalism.

Moo Moo Restaurant owner Steven Adams. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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Moo Moo Wine Bar and Grill owner Steven Adams knows first-hand how “frustrating” it can be if we don’t: “We’ve been running set menus and with limited numbers,” Mr Adams tell ATG. “Most of the customers are fantastic but we have had a few people not turn up, which is disappointing. Particularly when we ( can only have) reduced numbers.

“Most are understanding and are reacting greatly to everything.”

Restaurants and venues can only seat up to 20 people per space due to the pandemic. Businesses need customer support and have put in place time-limited bookings in order to get through more customers.

Nuccia Fusco of Costa D'Oro Italian restaurant. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

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But unfortunately Costa D’oro co-owner Nuccia Fusco has had to turn “hundreds” of hungry people away from her iconic Surfers Paradise Italian restaurant.

She would love for people to be able to stay for longer but she needs to get more guests through the door.

“When we had 10 people and then 20 people and 1.5 hour bookings, a lot of our customers would have liked to stay longer,” she said.

“All customers at the moment are locals and regulars. We know them well. Everyone’s understanding.”

One restaurateur voiced the feelings of many peers, telling ATG at times he’s waiting on lingering groups who are done to “please just f--k off”.