An Open Letter to Closed Restaurants

(This won’t make me popular with other designers)

Times are unprecedented. The situation you’re all facing is grave. Many of your businesses have lost all of their customers overnight. Those still operating take out or delivery services are facing almost impossible challenges and don’t have enough headspace to think too far ahead. Nearly all of you have put on brave faces, looked after your staff and looked for answers, fast. Good!

Designers are telling you now is the best time to hire them. They reason that whilst it’s quiet you can refurbish or imagine new ways and create a fresh impression ready for when you reopen.

I disagree. I think you need to save money and protect your core assets instead.

When you re-open your customers will be pleased enough that you’re still around in any shape or form. Many of these customers will be poorer too so they’ll be looking for cheaper ways to eat out and enjoy themselves. You won’t be able to offer these things if you haven’t saved money.

It’s likely that we won’t get back to where we were. The world will look and feel different. Right now no-one can say what that’s going to look like but you’ll need to adapt to it. It’s too early to imagine how though and few will have the data or the presence of mind to think straight and make clear strategic choices for a while.

So my suggestion is that you don’t hire any consultants yet. None of them will lose their knowledge because of COVID-19 and that’s all they need to help you. In a few more months they’ll probably know more too.

I believe that all professions should put their clients’ best interests first. It’s better for everyone in the long term. So my advice, for what it’s worth, is that your best interests are served by waiting. They’ll be enough designers, like me, around when you’re ready.