Eat out to help out

[mummabear1967]

This sounds like a great scheme and I am
Going to make an effort to avail of it at least once before it comes to an end at the end of the month!

But I do find it a strange that they don’t do it at the weekends? I work Mon-Fri and whilst I could probably do it sometime between Mon-Wed, it would be easier to go out on a Friday or Saturday night. I’d have thought including the weekends would have been better. Anyone else agree?

The whole point is to get restaurants busy on the days that are usually the quietest!
Most restaurants have less tables at the moment and are therefore fully booked at the weekends. To increase sales (and therefore survive the downturn) they need customers in different days. Dinner and drinks after work if exactly what it is aimed to encourage

It’s not meant to be convenient for customers, it’s to help the restaurant industry. Making it Mon - Wed helps spread custom across the week and keeps staff employed for as many hours as possible, as well as aiding social distancing.

We went to our local pub for lunch and the garden was full for lunch - I was so happy for them.

I think weekends are peak times and many places will have no trouble filling at regular prices.

Most, of not all, places local to me tend to have their offers such as two for £10 or third person eats free Mon-Fri only.

Is there anywhere you could go for lunch M-W if you have time? There might even be small local cafes taking part if you want to support an independent, but if you're more interested in saving money, McDonalds, KFC and many other chains are also taking part.

Which clearly show that the Government knows exactly what they're doing - offering everyone half price fast food on the same day as they're telling us all to lose weight .

@BarbaraofSeville

Is there anywhere you could go for lunch M-W if you have time? There might even be small local cafes taking part if you want to support an independent, but if you're more interested in saving money, McDonalds, KFC and many other chains are also taking part.

Which clearly show that the Government knows exactly what they're doing - offering everyone half price fast food on the same day as they're telling us all to lose weight .

Lol! Yes I see what you mean

I'm pretty sure the entire point is to get people to eat out on the quietest days of the week

People already eat out at the weekend. They’re trying to get people to eat out when it’s quieter during early mid-week; that’s the whole point of the scheme.

I've booked a meal out for all the Wednesdays in August with a different friend each week and also a meal for my DC's birthday, I think it's a great scheme.

I am a bit confused whether collection is valid? I understand takeaway isn’t... but collection feels a bit of a grey area?

@StinkySaurus

I am a bit confused whether collection is valid? I understand takeaway isn’t... but collection feels a bit of a grey area?

Collection is not valid. It’s not a grey area; you need to sit in and eat your meal for the 50% discount.

@StinkySaurus

I am a bit confused whether collection is valid? I understand takeaway isn’t... but collection feels a bit of a grey area?

But collection is the same as takeaway is it not? Unfortunately it only counts for sit in. I don’t know why though! Even if you’re not sitting in, you’re still making a purchase which goes into the local economy and helps the restaurant even though you’re not dining in!

@Nosuchluck

I've booked a meal out for all the Wednesdays in August with a different friend each week and also a meal for my DC's birthday, I think it's a great scheme.

It sounds it! I wish they had it all year round! I’m really looking forward to getting out a for a meal at half the price!

@StinkySaurus

I am a bit confused whether collection is valid? I understand takeaway isn’t... but collection feels a bit of a grey area?

Collection is the same as takeaway though, isn't it?

Collection isn’t the same because you don’t order drinks or get to the end of your meal and get tempted by the dessert options or another glass of wine etc

I went out for lunch with my Mum today to a local restaurant. Normally on a Monday afternoon it would be almost empty. It was full today both indoors and the beer garden. Its brought in custom they wouldnt usually have during the week. At the weekends they're always busy anyway so the Mon to Wed idea makes perfect sense

@Redglitter

I went out for lunch with my Mum today to a local restaurant. Normally on a Monday afternoon it would be almost empty. It was full today both indoors and the beer garden. Its brought in custom they wouldnt usually have during the week. At the weekends they're always busy anyway so the Mon to Wed idea makes perfect sense

So pleasing to see!

Unfortunately it only counts for sit in. I don’t know why though! Even if you’re not sitting in, you’re still making a purchase which goes into the local economy and helps the restaurant even though you’re not dining in!

It’s because they want to get people used to going into towns and cities again. They want people to relax, have a nice meal and feel some normality so they’ll want to repeat it. Eventually they’ll feel safe out and about and will visit other places too and kickstart the economy.

If you allowed it on takeaway people would just grab it and go and hide back at work or at home again and that’s not the message the government want to send.

But collection is the same as takeaway is it not? Unfortunately it only counts for sit in. I don’t know why though!

You really haven't got the scheme have you ?

Takeaways have been pretty much one throughout, they want the eat businesses to get going so they can bring more staff back to work which has a knock on effect on the high street, more people out and about, more spending etc.

In my local town today it was notably busier with people in the cafes and tea shops.

I think it's a good idea and everyone I've spoken to is planning multiple meals out.

@lifesalongsong

But collection is the same as takeaway is it not? Unfortunately it only counts for sit in. I don’t know why though!

You really haven't got the scheme have you ?

Takeaways have been pretty much one throughout, they want the eat businesses to get going so they can bring more staff back to work which has a knock on effect on the high street, more people out and about, more spending etc.

In my local town today it was notably busier with people in the cafes and tea shops.

I think it's a good idea and everyone I've spoken to is planning multiple meals out.

It’s somewhat confusing though at the same time, they want everyone to limit contact with other people now they want us all to eat out

It’s not confusing at all. They want to kickstart the economy, so want people back on the high street and eating out.

At the same time there are still social distancing guidelines; you can follow these and shop/eat at the same time. It’s not one or the other.

I wish this scheme had been targeted at independent and smaller pubs /restaurants rather than large chains as just saw someone on fbook thanking the Govt for the scheme as they’d used it today at Crispy Creme, McD’s & TGIs Obviously it’s good for the workers in these places to be busy but places like McDonalds aren’t going to go under like some smaller businesses and they are profitable and have plenty of customers already. Looks like the public purse is going to be shelling out for a lot of chain restaurant junk food!

Agree with comments above that it’s not going to help some people’s waistlines at a time we are supposed to be tackling national obesity.

It’s somewhat confusing though at the same time, they want everyone to limit contact with other people now they want us all to eat out

Nope, still not confusing, the social distance and covid rules haven't been relaxed for the scheme, we need to start living with the virus, you eat out in the new normal way just as you would at any other time.

Admit it, it's an easy to understand scheme

My 14 year old thinks it’s a genius idea! He thought all his Christmas’s had come at once today when he got 20 chicken nuggets for £2:35!!! It’s a good job he’s active!

It is an easy to understand scheme generally. However if I was in a place with local lockdown / rising rates i’d be a bit perplexed at why the Government was directing me to limit my contacts but at the same time encouraging me to dine out alongside a load of random people!

I wish this scheme had been targeted at independent and smaller pubs /restaurants rather than large chains

Mumratheevergiving It’s been targeted at all restaurants. The majority of independent restaurants around me are taking part.

If they’re not near you it’s not because they don’t know about it but rather they’ve chosen not to.