AS Vikings Luxury Buffet reopens this week, we look back on the times we’ve made utter pigs of ourselves and tried to form sushi and salad pyramids on our plates a few inches high. I cite this specific memory as we enter what everybody calls “The New Normal.” As per government regulations, while restaurants may operate on a limited basis during the general community quarantine, buffets are still very much closed to maintain social distancing. While Vikings may have been reopened, the experience won’t be quite the same: instead of getting up and getting food from various stations, one will just order-all-you-can from a menu.
A video released by Vikings showed the new measures they’ve put in place to ensure their adherence to government regulations (which include “no mask, no entry” rules, rubbing alcohol for one’s hands at the entrance, and temperature checks for everyone entering), but also making sure in their own way to protect both staff and customers. The video showed temperature checks, increased sanitation of work and dining areas, increased hygiene measures, social distancing in the queues, health declaration forms to be filled out by the customers via mobile, tableware covered in plastic, automated faucets in the bathrooms, and cashless payment options.
Charles Lee, marketing director of the Vikings Group, looked back on what the group experienced during the early days of the pandemic. The group is behind not only several branches of Vikings, but also Vikings Niu, Four Seasons Hotpot, and Tong Yang. They also have other ventures in a la carte dining, namely La Vita, Monga, and Putien, a franchise whose parent has a star in Singapore’s Michelin Guide.
“We were definitely affected by the COVID pandemic, but that also didn’t stop us from trying to work around it. During the initial phase of ECQ, we mobilized our people to cook bento boxes in order to donate to different institutions that are in the front lines. We then later on developed and tested out doing our own delivery services by using our current manpower (with motorbikes) to do the delivery of our ala carte brands such as Putien, Monga, and La Vita. Once we got to familiarize ourselves with the operations of it, we slowly introduced our buffet food trays to the public; we wanted our customers to experience feasting again safely in the comfort of their homes,” he said in an e-mail to BusinessWorld.
Responding to how the changes in how Vikings operates will change the experience, he said, “It’s going to change big time during the new normal period, but we are working around it. We are introducing an order-all-you-can system; we wanted our customers to experience unlimited feasting from a wide array of choice but in a safe manner. It might be different from how we [used to] do things and what our customers are accustomed to, but I do believe our loyal customers will appreciate the small innovations that we did during this new normal.”
Change doesn’t come cheap, and we asked about how the extra costs may affect the company. “At this point, our company isn’t looking so much into profit anymore during the pandemic,” Mr. Lee said. “Our goal is to be able to survive and as well as being able to support our employees and satisfying our customers. That’s the goal for now.”
Opening a string of a la carte restaurants a few years ago may have been a stroke of luck now that buffets are banned. Mr. Lee said, “Any brands we opened thus far are still important to us. We do believe that our current a la carte brands have a lot of potential in the future. We will still be expanding them in areas that we think will have demand.”
Around the world, buffets in cruise ships, hotels, and restaurants are already reexamining their purpose. Still, buffets are important to the concept of a Filipino feast geared towards celebration. Talking about changes in consumer patterns, Mr. Lee said, “I think we’re going to see people trying to save more money and a lot of restaurants maintaining the food delivery services, as well [as] frozen items so that customers can cook in their own homes. We are actually also anticipating this particular consumer behavior. That’s why we are enhancing the product line of delivery services by developing ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat meals.”
“Our brand is known for feasts or celebrations, and I think right now we are doing that by providing food trays for milestone occasions, and as well as opening our stores to our customers who want to take a break from quarantine,” he said. “In a sense, our store can also be seen as a safe space to gather and socialize (safely) again.
“I think being able to survive the pandemic together as a society is a milestone on its own, worthy of being celebrated.” — Joseph L. Garcia
