Businesses in the food and beverage industry in Jamaica have been scrambling to adapt to the fluid and ever-changing situation of the COVID-19 threat, with the latest development being the Government’s decision to close operations (with the exception of takeout service) of nightclubs, bars, and restaurants.

The past few weeks have seen rapidly declining numbers of customers for these businesses in towns and cities around the island, and Montego Bay has been no exception.

Group sales and marketing manager for Hard Rock Cafe in Montego Bay, which will be closing temporarily, Shaniin Morales Lewin disclosed that while a few customers turned out to the restaurant over the past weekend the turnout was “nowhere near what we would have normally”.

“Hotel guests are staying put as well and with the Carnival cruise line having pulled out, the Aida cruise ship having cancelled, today would have been a very, very busy day for us,” she explained on Sunday, March 15. “We are seeing everybody taking those preventative, cautionary measures like staying indoors and not going out in populated areas. After people have been spending a lot of money in supermarkets, dining out is not a priority.”

Jason Russell, manager of the popular Pier One restaurant in the tourism capital, reported a very low turnout on the weekend as well, while Robbie Joseph Jr, owner of the Bellefield restaurant, and Kareena Mahbubani, owner of the Mystic Thai and Mystic India restaurants, shared similar experiences.

Mahbubani revealed that the Mystic Thai and Mystic India restaurants will continue operations limited to takeout and free delivery of meals, only. Her business, like many others in Montego Bay, has adjusted its operations for greater safety to address the COVID-19 contagion.

“Anyone who uses public transportation is not working with us at the moment and has been put on vacation pay,” she said. “Anyone who comes into work is only using private transportation.”

Other measures include door handles, credit card machines, and menus being sanitised after every use; bathrooms sanitised every 30 minutes; a complete wipe-down of the restaurant every 30 minutes; staff sanitising or washing hands every 30 minutes as well as before entering the kitchen; and customers being asked to sanitise or wash their hands after entering the restaurant.

Similarly stringent measures were being employed at Hard Rock Cafe over the past weeks.

“The staff is fully trained,” Morales Lewin affirmed. “They had started receiving training from ‘corporate’ before the first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Jamaica.”

Robbie Joseph Jr said that his organisation had also increased its safety measures, and disclosed that while the Bellefield restaurant would close, the Ol’ Joe over-the-counter style restaurant in Fairview will still be open for takeout.

“We are going to be opening Ol’ Joe, as allowed by the Government, with normal operating hours and 20 people allowed inside at a time who will be sanitised as they enter,” Joseph Jr informed. “We will be introducing a kerbside pickup service where you can pre-order and pay with your credit card on the phone. This service will allow you to skip the line in the restaurant or have your meal delivered to you in the parking lot, to reduce any health risks.”

The food entrepreneur also expressed the uncertainty which he believes most restaurant and bar owners share at this time.

“I think this shutdown will go beyond seven days,” he said. “What we are trying to do now is save what we have and maintain the partnerships with our customers. If we act effectively we can curtail a potential disaster, but a lot will depend on what happens in other countries. For example, we are very reliant on the United States for tourism so what happens there will influence what happens here. Time will tell.”