THE PANDEMIC ISN’T GOING AWAY any time soon, but there are bright spots among the gloom… and we’re seeing more opportunities than when this began.

RESTAURANTS: NOW OR NEVER

With the experiments taking place in each state, we now know that most restaurants that closed due to COVID-19 will never reopen. We’ve also learned how to help them stay open- and districts can play a major role. A recent Restaurant Week in Norfolk, VA that featured dine-in, takeout, and delivery options was more successful than their traditional restaurant weeks, with more restaurants reporting a better experience and more sales, and traffic and engagement at year-long highs. Most impressively, they did it with a small fraction of the budget of previous Restaurant Weeks. By utilizing social media ads, Norfolk took advantage of the extra time people are spending online; especially families whose kids are attending school from home.

Elsewhere, while delivery services have largely remained steady throughout the summer, curbside pickup is continuing to grow. Not only do curbside guests tend to spend more, they also save the restaurant money by skipping expensive delivery services. More and more, guests are choosing pickup for the experience of seeing other people. The most innovative restaurants are creating an enjoyable experience at the curb, adding planters, shade, drinks, music, and more. Many downtowns have supported parklets to create additional space for dining; restaurants that only offer pickup can benefit from similar programs.

Restaurants that previously didn’t offer pickup are having the greatest success with family-style packages, as well as kids menus and the customization diners expect at a restaurant. On weekends, many mid-range restaurants (that also offer alcohol) are making nearly as much as last year.

ONLINE DIRECTORIES

More cities are experiencing changes to reopening phases that are different from their state. With more people traveling for work and school, districts need to ensure that visitors have up-to-date information. Districts that have consistently maintained directories over the summer are seeing significant increases in traffic; in many cases, more than any time outside of the holidays. Updated directories only work if people know they’re current; use bold graphics with the dates you update the page so people know they can rely on you- they’ll keep coming back.

TOURISM

Global tourism has been devastated by COVID, but local and regional tourism aren’t so dire. If anything, there may be a slightly longer leisure tourism season as we head into fall. Savvy districts are focusing their efforts on visitors within four hour drives who want to get out and go shopping. Districts with historic sights or large outdoor attractions are also successfully bringing in families from the suburbs who need a change of scenery; small “study areas” with wifi are starting to pop up.

HOLIDAY COMMERCE

More than 40% of Americans have shopped at a new store online since the beginning of closures, and they’re placing order 40% earlier. Your retailers should already be online, but they should also be prepared for an earlier holiday sales season. Help your retailers by coordinating a holiday shopping campaign ready to go in October rather than November. Offering free/reduced photography sessions, gift guides, advertising support, and tech support can all benefit your district as a whole. There’s also an increased interest from people interested in popup concepts; with jobs in flux and extra vacancy, people are ready to pursue their dreams.

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