Stories
As coronavirus continues to sweep the nation, the effects can be seen on businesses and people’s spirits. Saint Patrick’s Day parades across the country were cancelled, pubs were forced to shut, and people are being urged to stay in their homes while restaurants become full of empty tables.
Amidst the adversity, however, is innovation. People created their own virtual DIY St Patrick’s Day parades, the older generation embrace technology to FaceTime relatives and businesses are coming up with creative ways to provide their service to customers in these unprecedented times. One of these innovators is chef Gary (Gaz) Smith, owner of popular surf n’ turf restaurants Michael’s and Little Mike’s in South Dublin’s Mount Merrion.
Michael’s is a joint venture by Smith, who is also involved with the Kinara restaurant group, and his wife Rita.
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Although pubs in Ireland were forced by the government to shut their doors to stop the spread of the virus, restaurants are left in limbo and the decision of whether to close or not lies with the owner. Some are choosing to close until Ireland’s coronavirus lockdown ends. Others are putting in place measures to ensure customers can practice social distancing while eating their meals. Smith decided to take a different approach.
“It’s a safer way for people to get food than wandering around the supermarkets”
Gary Smith
He decided to close his restaurants last Sunday as he couldn’t “in good conscience add to the ongoing risks”, but Smith was worried he may need to cut staff and that his suppliers would suffer from the closure. The following Tuesday, he came up with an idea to keep business going. Takeaways.
“We were determined to keep as many staff jobs as possible,” says Smith.
Four of his workers moved home to other parts of the country to self-isolate and received the Covid-19 payment scheme put in place by the government. Presently, Smith has not had to cut any of his staff.
“We work with real fisherman, farmers and growers and we saw suppliers being decimated,” says Smith who was concerned that the closure of his restaurants would add to their hardships.
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Smith rang Musgraves to get in takeaway containers and is now operating a takeaway service delivering his self-proclaimed “nothing fancy, just honest grub” from their restaurants between 2pm and 9pm during weekdays.
“It’s a safer way for people to get food than wandering around the supermarkets,” says Smith who believes his service will also provide cheer to those who are getting bored of their packets of pasta and want a freshly cooked meal.
“We’re not trying to compare with a normal takeaway in price,” says Smith. He adds that they have decreased the cost of some of their meals slightly for their new takeaway service.
It looks like Smith’s decision is working for the business thus far as he says his phone has been “hopping for takeaway orders”, but his gamble is not without its drawbacks.
Wine sales are where restaurateurs get to make up most of their margins, according to Smith who lost this advantage when he closed.
Another challenge for Smith while running his takeaway service is maintaining the same standard that he would serve up in his restaurant.
“That’s been my biggest stress this week,” he says.
Michael’s and Little Mike’s are known for their fresh produce and ingredients that go into each dish and Smith is determined to keep this reputation.
Cheapening his brand was the easy part of this experience, according to Smith. Maintaining the standard of the restaurant is a bigger obstacle. Once he decided to go forward with the takeaway service, he and his staff brainstormed ways they could do this.
“The 5pm stampede of orders,” is where this becomes difficult says Smith who wants to spread out the order time.
Smith hopes that his takeaway service can endure the length of the lockdown. However long that may be.
