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!

Well, perhaps COVID is a wake-up call as to how to do things n a manner which reduces the spread of all viruses in future.

I don’t think it’s wrong to get rid of these self service buffets, people take the absolute piss, serving themselves massive platefuls of everything with the idea that they can just chuck what they don’t like and go back for more.

Added to which, I’m not sure it’s a bad idea to do away with self service to eliminate the spread of many other viruses, cold/flu/norrovirus and the list goes on.

Same here but all the hot food was out as a buffet too

I think lots of places still have restrictions. I don’t mind when it’s genuinely to stop the spread of the infection (for example a local hospital I visited had a one way system and masks) but other places are just using it as an excuse to save money.

My local Waitrose no longer has the free coffee machines or green tokens to give to charity (very useful as non reader dd2 was always motivated to read it to choose a charity). My rubbish tip also still has a booking system. It was rarely busy before so I used to sometimes go in, as I was driving past, with a few items like small electricals. Now you have to book it’s much more of a chore and I imagine many people will be throwing those items away in black bags.

Christ what a rude and supercilious post.

So I'm a thicko because I enjoy a Harvester salad? Nice.

Care to share your academic qualifications?

And whilst you're doing so, explain 'the science' behind the bread/ rolls and drinks machines in a Harvester being self service, but the salad not?

Not sure it is to save money, the waitress who served my salad piled the bowl high, gave me a hell of a lot more than I would have given myself and I didn't eat it all!

Stayed at a premier inn at the start of the month and it was buffet breakfast as it always has been. Very nice it was too!

I actually prefer the appointment system for our local tip. I know I can drive there and get in straightaway, no queuing, no matter what time or day of the week.

Previously, I'd take a chance and unless I was there before it was due to open or take a chance and go reasonably early during the week, I'd be queuing. (Once I did turn around as the queue was ridiculous, not really moving, and I have better ways to spend my time :-))

More customers will accept “Because Covid” than “because we started doing this during covid and found it saved us money/hassle, so we want to keep it.”

I'm not sure why Harvester are doing this, presumably something to do with profitability. If they were truly worried about covid they would have a smaller capacity and seat people outside. But my suspicion is that covid is a convenient excuse to manage portion sizes and therefore profitability.

Yes, COVID has not gone away, and yes people still die from it. But we have vaccines that has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality, plus a more mild variant. This allows us to treat it like any other respiratory virus and therefore discontinue the (in my opinion, questionable theatre) measures we have previously had.

Last time I was in a Premier Inn the breakfast buffet was back to normal, but they were cutting down on room cleaning “to keep everyone safe.”

Harvester in Brighton last August was a help yourself to your own salad do maybe its just a local thing?

Yes but they serve you smaller portions (I assume). You can't pile it high. So if you want more, you'll have to go back for more. Some people will, others won't.

I agree it's annoying when covid restrictions are kept when they are not needed, but if they find it better for other reasons, then as another poster said, you go elsewhere if you don't like it. And it's also true that covid hasn't gone away we are just pretending it has (I am about the only person who still wears a mask on the train and even I have stopped bothering in shops now).

Urgh I hate it when companies explain their lack of service as being for my safety. Patronising rubbish.

Harvester food is vile anyway.

Only ever went there once. Steak tasted like old shoe leather, chips were soggy, and I was violently ill afterwards. Never again.

There is no getting away from the fact that a lot of companies have chosen to retain elements of covid restrictions to suit them and their bottom
lines and overall it has led to a decline across the board in terms of service. YANBU. Yo Sushi have irritated me by removing the sushi from the belt, insisting you order by phone and then having the nerve to add on a service charge. Ditto dominoes who maintains their no half and half policy - why?! Vote with your feet.

I'd think it would make most people consider what they are putting on their plate more if someone is serving them.

Buffets are great you can get what you want, I usually make a few trips at breakfast buffets because I don't like an over crowded plate and I really hate wasting food. But many people will pile their plate and eat about half of it. I think people get over excited.

Well. I saw someone lick the big serving spoon at a Pizza Hut salad bar years ago. For that reason I hope things stay as they are..!

You make a fair point, but its the trotting out of "because of COVID" line here that is irritating. If they want to reduce waste, thats good, and profit shouldn't be a dirty word either, but own it. But sneaking it through as a COVID measure is poor.

That's certainly not a company-wide thing. I stayed at a PI last month and breakfast was the usual self serve.

@Wizzbangfizz I really do not get the 1/2 and 1/2 not being allowed!! Haven't had domino's in a loooong time since the closest one is over an hour away but that is so weird.

MSc Oil and Gas Engineering. And I don't think you are a thicko because you eat at Harvester, I agree it's a great place especially when getting together with family with different tastes, I think you come across as slightly under informed about Covid and the potential it has to disrupt everyone's lives again. Do you have any idea how many people have lost jobs and careers because of this virus? Businesses losing money? It's not absolutely ridiculous as you think, and it's pretty bloody ignorant and insensitive to belittle the million people who died over a crappy, bogey riddled, sneezed on salad.

Asked the manager in harvester about this last time we visited and he admitted it was nothing to do with covid at all it was because they saved money serving the salad themselves.

They did cut down on cleaning and restrict spread though - they stopped cleaning rooms daily while people were in them. They only clean on check out.

They don’t routinely leave the room before cleaning after check out now, but they did for a while.

so as illogical as it sounds they did do as they said.

Exactly why I never have buffets, carveries or any kind of serve yourself food. People are minging