Challenges faced by customers in takeaway orders during the lockdown
During COVID-19, the restaurants are allowed to operate as takeaways by the government as they relaxed the planning rules. There has been an increase in the number of food businesses proposing delivery of food and collection facilities as a result. One of the major issues faced by the consumers is that many outlets were not accepting the online payments, and thus they found it difficult to make their orders. The issue regarding payment has rendered many of the customers to decide not to order from restaurants. Another issue that was encountered by the customers was that due to the pandemic effect, variety of food was not available in the market. A limited number of food outlets was open during COVID-19 with the limited service available from them.
As the food businesses provided a limited number of services, customers were not completely satisfied, and they had faced many challenges too. Lack of availability of a variety of food has disappointed the consumers as nowadays people are looking after new food items and they are more foodies.
In addition to this, the customers were not having complete information regarding the safety of food delivered to them. While ordering their food online, consumers are unknown to the measures taken by the restaurants in respect of COVID-19. They were not sure that the workers are maintaining proper social distancing at the restaurants and considering hygiene at the time of preparation of food. The customers don’t have any knowledge regarding whether the workers at the food outlets were wearing PPE while preparing and packing the food.
Therefore, COVID-19 has impacted the lives of customers in various ways, and ultimately the food business also suffered a loss. The customers were many times not found satisfied with the restaurants in their take away facility as they are not sure of the working practices followed by them.