Restaurants are one of the hardest-hit businesses during this global novel coronavirus pandemic. Empty dining rooms are not an unusual sight as people are preferring to stay in rather than eat out. Many restaurants have started offering delivery services to make sure their kitchen staff and service crew are financially supported during the crisis.
Le Du is now pushing one of their signature dishes khao khluk kapi (stir-fried rice with shrimp paste) with giant river prawns for takeaway and delivery, while Thai restaurant Charmgang is packaging their curry sets for diners to enjoy at home.
To entice visitors, Foodie Collection, the group behind Vesper, Il Fumo, La Dotta, 80/20 and 1919, is now selling gift vouchers with extra credits (B2,000 gets you an extra B500) for dining at any of their restaurants and bars. We can expect many more restaurants to follow suit with similar marketing stunts. Though we should take extra precautions, we should also be mindful of supporting local businesses during these tough times so we can maintain the glorious food scene we once knew once the situation subsides.