Union Budget 2021-22 Expectations for hotels: Budget 2021 expectations from hotels and restaurants! COVID-19 has paved the way for changes in the way we enjoy dining out even as the hospitality industry geared up to drastically make changes and pitch new battle plans to fight the unprecedented fear caused all around by the pandemic. In many parts of the world, there are reports of cafes turning into stores that sold general items and homemakers turned into home bakers. From rising prices to rising COVID-19 numbers, people were keen to save money as well as their lives from the threat of the dangerous pandemic.
Sharing Budget 2021 expectations from hotels and restaurants, Ruchira Hoon, Chef & Founder, The Ruchira Kitchen told The Financial Express Online, “The F&B industry has been one of the most affected sectors due to COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, the F&B sector has seen salary cuts and many restaurants having to shut down, consequently resulting in the unemployment of people working in the sector. From the perspective of Budget 2021 expectations, we are hopeful that the government will allott a stimulus package for the industry for it to bounce back. Also, uniform taxation is intrinsic for the industry to flourish as beyond GST, there are other taxes levied.”
Also read| Union Budget 2021 Expectations: Why hotels and restaurants pitch for GST rationalisation
Knowing the remarkable attention to detail and the effort it takes for hotels and fine dining restaurants and chefs to create delectable dishes in these challenging times, Indians endorse that safety is non-negotiable when they dine out or choose a takeaway to bring back home. For the same reason, they are ready to shell out more even though deals and discounts do influence their decision at this point of time.
Highlighting how food is now being prepared in premium restaurants, Chef Vikas Swadesh Seth – Culinary Director, Embassy Leisure told The Financial Express Online, “Social distancing is the new normal, restaurants will have to straddle the line between ensuring this distance and the warm, hospitable ambience which attracts customers to dine out. Restaurants are redefining service standards and reimagining their menus to ensure that, while capacity will reduce, solutions will evolve to ensure seamless and prompt service. Temperature screening of not just our guests, but also our employees as well as the delivery personnel became a key practice, alongwith sanitisation stations throughout the restaurant premises. Sanitisation protocol of all high touch surfaces with care and frequency every 30 mins is implemented. Cutlery, crockery and glassware is cleaned and sanitised, adhering to the highest level of hygiene.”
Notably, this was not a year to indulge in, this has been a year to mark resilience and survival, even when dining out
