To wonder why not all restaurants have registered for "Eat out to Help out"

[daggered]

We're on holiday in a small beach resort and only about 4 local restaurants seem to have registered for the Government's "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme. They all have long queues. Back in my home suburb most but not all of the restaurants seem to have registered. It seems a no brainer to me so I'm wondering why some restaurants haven't bothered. Am I missing something?

[userxx]

@tessiegirl 🤣🤣

[WhattheHhashappened]

Yet to see if all goes to plan for the first week. If they don’t get their money I’m sure places will drop out.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Lots of independents in the scheme near us, but I live in a big city with a big restaurant scene.

We went to an excellent wood fired pizza and craft beer bar last night and it was about right in terms of 'busyness' not crowded but not empty either.

Some tables had been removed so people weren't too close together. We've decided we're going to go out at least once a week in August and probably nearly as often going into September, we used to eat out nearly that often anyway, so spent part of the evening discussing where else we wanted to go.

[Marnie76]

Canigooutyet

So come on then what’s your solution to help business out?

[avamiah]

tessiegirl,
Lol
Xx

[tessiegirl]

Oh do give it a rest canigooutyet

[canigooutyet]

Many people in various industries are thinking about quitting due to batshit contradictory government guidelines that make some jobs even crapper than they were already.

That is of course assuming your place manages to stay afloat for the next month.

10 tables saving £80 each, is over 2k. in 3 days.
How many have got this sitting to one side?

Many closed since March. Still had outgoings to cover. Yea they got a loan, this needs paying back. They need to pay staff and goods this week, and already 2k down. The earliest they will get some of that money back will be next Wednesday unless they have to do this nightly, although not sure which is worse tbh. Even daily, it's still £800 down.

Noticed the chains local doing this are also the same arseholes that used to include tips as staff wages to increase their profits and tips are automatically added to your bill.

But will be interesting in the next week or so to see what happens. Will this be the one promised thing delivered on time by this government since CV? Will those same chains screw over their customers/staff to make up for the weekly loss, because until the money comes back to them, it's a loss.

[avamiah]

I’m in Central London and myself and my 4 friends went to our local pub for their pub quiz and they were doing it but didn’t overly advertise it at the pub, it was only on their website.
Everybody was ordering food, I ordered a starter as I had already eaten( soft shell crab with avocado) it should of cost £9 , it was £4.50 and really good .The rest of my group ordered fish and chips ( £5.25) , it looked great .
I personally think it’s a great way of getting people to eat out again .

[Flowers009]

Sorry so you cannot claim

[Flowers009]

My local subway have just cut off the seating area so they cannot be registered. Seems a lot of the franchise fast food are doing this.

[QuestionableMouse]

I'm FOH and the senior one to boot which means I'm the one sorting all the complaints out when people can't get a seat. I hate work so much currently I feel like handing my notice in.

[canigooutyet]

I can imagine. Must be worse than christmas or Valentines
Really glad I'm no longer with a head chef loool.

[QuestionableMouse]

Staffing wise it's a massive pain in the arse.

[canigooutyet]

Weird how so many people really think this is good for anyone.
The business loses because they don't get back all that money. It's £10 to the customer only.
That £10 saved today will be repaid by you. The company may increase their costs further. If they don't the government will come back and take it from you in terms of taxes.

Another billion to pull out of no-where.

During the first 2 months of Corona, 100 billion was spent.

To pay all this back it comes from tax increases, borrowing more like they have been doing, or cut services which will happen.

Had a look at the restaurant finder for near me, all chains. THe same chains that closed during corona when their indie equivalents stayed open and signed up with the delivery apps.

[saraclara]

@rosesandcashmere

I agree they'd likely rather have less full paying customers Monday - weds than the cheapskates going for half price dinners. It's a ball ache

But they're not only getting half. The restaurant gets the full amount whatever day the customer comes in, and whether the customer pays it all or the govt pays half.

[FoxInABox]

It’s really popular where I live, many restaurants fully or almost fully booked for all mon-wed throughout August already, particularly the more pricier or popular ones. Most the businesses seem really positive about it too.

[middleager]

I've been trying unsuccessfully to book TGIs all day as the kids want to go and I normally find it too pricey to justify going. The website and app keep crashing and I'm unable to book! Shows how popular it must be.

[SFHJ]

Because guidance has been crap on how to process it!
I’ve just done a 12hr shift and moaned at as we don’t do it. Because it’s 50% up to the value of £10 off, on our menu we have items from £8 to £55. It’s on soft drinks and food only. I would need to have an extra member of staff just working the tills 3 days a week to work out the discount! Any error we could end up not being able to claim the money back.
Also we pay our suppliers weekly, and any delay in getting the money could mean my staff or suppliers won’t get paid on time which I’m not willing to do to my suppliers who are already struggling with other restaurants that have gone under not paying their bills etc

[user1497207191]

@Sheknowsaboutme

I don’t understand why some branches of certain chain restaurants are out of the scheme. Some in, some out.

Maybe someone here can explain!?

Many "chain" outlets are actually privately owned franchises and are operated independently so the local owners may have decided not to join the scheme.

[saraclara]

I went out for lunch today and had a £20 set three course lunch for £10 instead of £20 at Bill's.

This wasn't a meal I had instead of one on a different day. This was a treat I wouldn't have allowed myself normally. So the restaurant had a customer it wouldn't normally have had. Which is the point.

[DopamineHits]

The government won't pay it back. The government doesn't have any money of its own. The government is going to pay back with taxpayer's money. And then probably put up taxes to claw it back from us twice.

[canigooutyet]

@Sheknowsaboutme

I don’t understand why some branches of certain chain restaurants are out of the scheme. Some in, some out.

Maybe someone here can explain!?

Some are franchises of the chain and the manager or whoever rents from McDonalds or whatever. Others are fully run by Mcdonalds or whoever.

[canigooutyet]

Once you take into consideration VAt and someone's wage to do this weekly how much do restaurants really get back from each £10.

One poster said they saved £80. 10 more tables like that, £800 to wait for at least a week less of course what the restaurant has spent out.

[Marnie76]

Canigooutyet

I run my company’s payroll and furlough claims were paid by HMRC within a week of being made. You seem very much a glass half empty person. Maybe it’s been a problem for some but it’s definitely also helped others in my experience.

[ceeveebee]

@Amijustagrump

Its an accounting nightmare. They charge at 50% off and pay vat at full price.

Hasn’t VAT also been cut to 5% for restaurants too though?