Home cooking vs. restaurants

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

As COVID-19 Triggers Resurgence In At-Home Cooking, Are Dine-In Restaurants In Trouble?

5:20 pm ET October 6, 2020 (Benzinga)

One of the more obvious trends playing out in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic was consumers eating more at home than usual. And this made perfect sense, as restaurants were mostly limited to take-out, delivery or drive-thru — or closed altogether.

Months later, many restaurants across the world have reopened with some limitations.

The key question remains: will consumers return to dine-in restaurant chains as they did before, and what impact will this have on their stocks?

Fact: People Are Cooking More At Home

If you wanted to sit down and enjoy a steak back in April, your options were limited: make it yourself or hope that a takeaway meal was still hot and fresh by the time it was brought home.

Many people opted for the first option, and if it is sustainable, the trend doesn't bode well for a chain like Texas Roadhouse Inc

"I can say that outdoor cooking channels on YouTube are getting more activity, and I am fielding a lot more questions than usual about techniques and recommendations regarding grills and other pieces of equipment," Gregory Mrvich, host of "Ballistic BBQ" on YouTube, told Benzinga in late April.

A handful of food companies recently confirmed that the early trends of people cooking at home remained unchanged throughout the summer months.

For example, spice company McCormick & Company, Incorporated said in its third quarter earnings report that it benefited from "the sustained consumer preference for cooking more at home."

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

My husband says he prefers my cooking to the restaurants we used to frequent. Since our favorite local Chinese and Mexican restaurants have permanently closed, I am honing my skills at these cuisines. I still miss the hot and sour soup from the Chinese restaurant, and don't think mine is as tasty.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

I give it through the holidays. If the pandemic finally abates, people will find their way back to convenience once again especially once schools and kids' activities get back into full swing.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

In my Long Island neighborhood, the restaurants that have set up outdoor eating areas look very busy as I walk or drive past, but what that quick look doesn't tell is how that busy-ness matches their previous numbers. And what will happen as our weather cools?

Overall, the costs of opening have been large for the owners; whether they can survive is really up to the general population. Social distancing, masks, and sanitation do work.

proudlyfromNJ · ‎05-01-2010

@millieshops wrote:
In my Long Island neighborhood, the restaurants that have set up outdoor eating areas look very busy as I walk or drive past, but what that quick look doesn't tell is how that busy-ness matches their previous numbers. And what will happen as our weather cools?

Overall, the costs of opening have been large for the owners; whether they can survive is really up to the general population. Social distancing, masks, and sanitation do work.

@millieshops Is indoor dining still closed on LI?

Still Raining · ‎03-30-2014

We have indoor open more or less, but no one I know goes. If the current ones do go under, I assume the sites reopen with perhaps different menus.

Another horrible side effect.

proudlyfromNJ · ‎05-01-2010

@Still Raining wrote:
We have indoor open more or less, but no one I know goes. If the current ones do go under, I assume the sites reopen with perhaps different menus.

Another horrible side effect.

@Still Raining Ours are open inside at fifty percent. They get plenty of customers. The town has supported all of them since the beginning with take out pickup and delivery then eating outdoors and shortly afterwards indoors.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@proudlyfromNJ No, they can now use the inside (not in NYC) but not at full capacity.

I don't see myself eating indoors at a restaurant any time soon -- maybe 2023????

proudlyfromNJ · ‎05-01-2010

@millieshops wrote:
@proudlyfromNJ No, they can now use the inside (not in NYC) but not at full capacity.

I don't see myself eating indoors at a restaurant any time soon -- maybe 2023????

@millieshops know about NYC just wasn't sure about LI. We've eaten in three times I think. Was a bit leery of one of the restaurants practices..or non practices.