To not understand why Harvester STILL have restrictions 'for Covid' ?

[gvdv]

We're going out for a family birthday this weekend to our local Harvester. Whilst I appreciate it may not be everyone's choice, for those of us going it suits us well, everyone likes something on the menu and we feel it's reasonably good value.

However in just speaking to a colleague who went last week, she informs me that the restrictions introduced during Covid are inexplicably still in place, and you have to have someone serving your salad at the (serve yourself) salad bar...!

I mean what is the point of this? We have zero restrictions now elsewhere aside from in a medical setting. I just don't get it. I'm quite particular about how I arrange my salad, as I'm sure are others, and having someone dish it up for you just isn't the same!

Same at Premier Inn with breakfast, stayed at 2 recently and instead of the buffet they ask you which individual items you want from a list of what would be on the buffet. I found it really weird. They were busy weekends too so I can't imagine it's about reducing food waste.

They save money as people have less salad.

I quite like it. Who knows how many sneezy nose-picking fuckers had free range before?

Because they are a private business in a free market and can do what they like to best fit their current operating model. There are no doubt other places you can go that will let you arrange your salad how you want?

Portion control

They've discovered that the cost of the staff time is vastly outweighed by savings on food.

So much used to go to waste

How is it a covid restriction?

It's not....it's just something the business has in place. It suits them better clearly

I agree with PP they can save money this way.
Also less kids prodding the food is a good thing.

It's a restriction that was introduced specifically due to Covid, the alleged reason to stop spread etc.

I didn't know that about Premier Inn either.

Our tip introduced a '2 cars max' restriction during covid, and they STILL have it going on now. It causes ridiculous queues and fly tipping is a huge problem round here. My DH asked them why they still have the restrictions in place and they said it's so they can watch what people are doing and make sure they're putting their waste in the correct bins. However, he said when he was getting rid of our rubbish, he couldn't even see a member of staff near him let alone checking his rubbish

I've never seen children prodding salad in Harvester. Touching the rolls and bread yes - but you can still do that anyway, it's just the salad which is restricted.

It really annoys me!! I like to be a pig at the salad bar, but not it’s not “unlimited” as they still claim. And what if I want more carrot that they gave me!

I also don’t understand how we can’t serve ourselves salad but we can help ourselves to the unlimited drinks

That's crazy - especially as its causing fly tipping which presumably then the council have to sort out?! We had an odd/even restriction for our tip (you could only go on odd dates if you had an odd registration etc) but they dropped that last year. I have heard of other areas still having an appointment system in place that you have to book weeks in advance. I can't imagine having to plan a visit to the tip!

You know Covid hasn’t miraculously disappeared, right? We’re just pretending it has.

People do take the piss sometimes with self-serve buffets - not filling their plate as would be expected, but piling the food high - which would be fair enough if it was eaten, but it almost always goes to waste. I am not surprised restaurants are stopping them, especially with inflation nearing 10% - the alternative is going to be a price hike for all, with non-food-wasters picking up the bill for idiots who think it's clever to create a salad mountain on their plate.

I'm very glad they do & wish more businesses were as responsible,

But having someone serve you doesn't eliminate waste though? The sort of people who are going to fill up a bowl and waste it are going to do that whether they're serving themselves or someone else is doing it surely?

Exactly

It must depend on the individual Premier Inn as I stayed at one last weekend and there was no restrictions on the breakfasts - just the normal ordering your hot food fresh. All the toast, ceareals, fruit etc were just out on the tables

Staff can ensure the bowl is filled within reason - i.e. not with a teetering pile of food six inches above the rim.

So why didn't we feel the need to have all these restrictions for every other respiratory virus that exist?

I’m not sure if this is a joke. It’s really well documented, internationally, why covid has been treated differently to other respiratory viruses.

It's to keep costs down so people don't take too much. Some people are greedy guts and will pile salad high onto their plate not eat it all. Most won't do that with someone serving them, they'll take what they will eat only.

It's completely inconsistent though. So you can touch the drinks machine, and the bread, and spread your germs all over those but not the salad?

If you were actually trying to control infection you'd stop people doing both of those. Really this is all about money but disguised as a restriction to 'keep people safe'. It's such nonsense.

I will ask the people at Friday's covid funeral if they know why. 68 year old no chronic conditions.

No covid hasn't gone away, I've just had it myself but if we're "living with it" now all these silly restrictions need to go away. Yes it's not a respiratory infection like others but for the majority now it really is similar to a mild cold. (Note; I didn't call it a cold...)

Like others - still have to book a slot at the tip - what bearing does that have on anything?!

My DD had to wear a mask to see the orthodontist yesterday...to then have to take it off so they could see and photograph her teeth anyway.