Central Florida restaurants learning from lockdown and using it to their advantage, including expansion and partnerships in Apopka

What has been a necessity to help businesses survive will become the new norm, and a great way to generate new revenue

Focus on Business

The coronavirus pandemic has had a noted impact on all industries, but restaurants and other catering establishments have perhaps had it harder than most. In Central Florida, local news reported on the difficulties facing establishments, especially back in May during

San Miguel Mexican Grill

normally busy holidays like Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day. But many establishments have gotten creative even when it's been tough, like how San Miguel Mexican Grill in Apopka expanded seating and added new drinks to the menu, in order to find their way through.

For restaurants riding out the crisis and slowly starting to make moves back toward normality, it could prove helpful to integrate some of the same unique strategies that surviving restaurants have used that have helped them survive and even flourish.

Making investments

When dine-in traffic is down, it could seem like madness to make investments in the business. However, as outlined by Forbes, restaurants actually have relatively large profit margins and those established for over a year are typically in good health. With the assistance of business rates and lease easing, this frees up cash to help secure the long-term future of the business. The good news is some experts are expecting a greater influx of restaurant-goers from both local residents and travelers on vacation as summer continues. As a result, upscaling business at this time hasn’t been a bad idea for restaurant owners. That could mean expanding to a larger premise, or investing in high capacity kitchen equipment such as walk-in ovens and preparation areas.

Spreading your wings

This theme of growth and expansion is true both in physical terms and when it comes to networking with other places. Take, for example, the expansion of Orlando-based Brew Theory. According to Restaurant News Release, an industry gazette, the brewing company

Three Odd Guys Brewing,

has taken the opportunity to assess the landscape of Florida catering businesses and reached out to partner with Apopka-based 3 Odd Guys. While the downturn of a pandemic might not seem like a good time to start broadening the reach of a brand or industry, these trendsetters are showing that the converse is true; with a level of quiet across the landscape of Florida catering firms, it’s been easier and quicker to look at where the quality is and boost brands further.

Modernizing services

Many of the biggest brands in the USA have taken the opportunity offered by the crisis to start take out or delivery services, and this is no different in Apopka. Of most note is the chain restaurant, Panda Express, who are massively popular across the state and beyond, and who US News have reported now have their own delivery service, for free through July 1 on orders $10 and over. Rather than add expenses to go through a third party delivery, the company will now take care of it themselves. This is a clear move towards modernization; take out, delivery services, and a greater overall online presence, are conducive to improving a business and making it fit for the future. What has been a necessity to help businesses survive will become the new norm, and a great way to generate new revenue.

What this all points to is a trend of crisis helping businesses to evolve. It can be difficult to see improvements on a day-to-day basis given the pace of business, especially in a place as busy as Central Florida. However, this period of calm has revealed several ways in which business, like many in Apopka, can not only survive, but flourish.