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Original poster

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

234 replies

gvdv · 18/05/2022 08:26

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!

OP posts:
IcedPurple · 18/05/2022 17:15

User3568975431146 · 18/05/2022 16:55

Just because we don't have legal restrictions doesn't mean that we shouldn't have restrictions.

Businesses who are maintaining a covid as safe as possible space are being eminently sensible.

Covid is still very much around and the risk of mutation is real.

But are they reducing capacity in their establishments?

Enforcing 'social distancing'?

Because these would be a much better way of "maintaining a covid as safe as possible space" than having someone serve the salad.

Obvious difference being that reduced capacity costs them dearly, while the opposite is true for having salad served rather than a free for all.

This is about money. And sure, businesses have a right to make changes which they feel are more cost efficient, but let's not pretend it's about 'keeping everyone safe'.

Teder · 18/05/2022 17:44

I’m craving a Harvester salad bar now! 😂

Technonan · 18/05/2022 18:09

Because Covid hasn't gone away, and it can do a hell of a lot of damage: friend's DH admitted to hospital with cavities in his lungs from Covid; brain damage; people with no previous allergies suddenly developing them; flare-ups in auto-immune diseases that have been stable for a long time. Most viral illnesses don't do this. Covid is a nasty, nasty bug. And then there's long Covid.

Also, we have some new variants heading our way. Come winter, it will be back. I don't like Harvester, but I'm kind of warming to them here.

hamsaladsandwichh · 19/05/2022 02:03

Technonan · 18/05/2022 18:09

Because Covid hasn't gone away, and it can do a hell of a lot of damage: friend's DH admitted to hospital with cavities in his lungs from Covid; brain damage; people with no previous allergies suddenly developing them; flare-ups in auto-immune diseases that have been stable for a long time. Most viral illnesses don't do this. Covid is a nasty, nasty bug. And then there's long Covid.

Also, we have some new variants heading our way. Come winter, it will be back. I don't like Harvester, but I'm kind of warming to them here.

But how does stopping customers choose their own salad make any difference?

hamsaladsandwichh · 19/05/2022 02:15

GoldenOmber · 18/05/2022 17:09

Covid is still going to be ‘very much around’ tomorrow, next year, and 500 years from today. What Harvester choose to do with their salad bar is unlikely to have much impact on it.

My post office are still doing various restrictions because of covid - masks, distancing, capacity limits (you have to peer in through the windows to count how many are in there already), distanced queuing outside. Until recently, they had a sign up saying “while Covid’s still out there, we’re still taking care in here!”. They can do what they like I suppose but I think someone should gently break it to them that Covid is going to be “out there” forever.

Businesses still dragging all of this out are going to lose their custom and end up going closing down. Most people have absolutely no tolerance anymore for the queueing and standing around in the rain waiting to be let in. If my local post office did this I would just drive out of my way to another branch and save myself the inconvenience.

I walked past a vintage/antique book shop last week with my husband and kids, from what we should see from outside we would definitely have spent some money in there.

There was a sign in the window saying masks are compulsory/no mask no entry. We assumed this was an old sign they'd just unknowingly left there as many shops seem to have done this.

Seeing as this is no longer a legal requirement we walked in and a woman was standing there with a mask and a visor on and held her hand out and said you all need to put masks on to come in.

We said we don't carry masks anymore, and our kids are, well kids and exempt in any event. She said then you need to leave.

We didn't make a scene or start a debate, but I did say she obviously doesn't need customers to keep her business going... and left. Following by another couple who had come in behind us. The shop was empty when we arrived and we left it empty when she forced us out.

When I looked on their fb page other people had the same experience, and were turned away. Many unhappy and confused potential customers that won't be going back.

If she's vulnerable then she can take any precautions she can by hopefully being vaccinated, covering her face, washing her hands, keeping a distance. But if she is going to ruin her business then more fool her.

MissChanandlerBong80 · 19/05/2022 03:22

I don’t mind having someone serve me at all - I think it’s more hygienic - but it’s irritating when businesses try to present what are obviously cost-cuttting measures as Covid safety measures. They’re a private business, they can have staff members serving the salad if they want - no need to pretend it’s ‘for Covid’.

Furrybutts · 19/05/2022 04:50

I haven't read the full thread, but just to say that lots of places still have 'Covid rules' still in place, but not necessarily because of Covid.
Soft play places are asking you to book rather than just turn up, and you have to leave after your 2 hours are up.

Some dentists doors are locked and you have to wait outside to be let in.

My local chemist only allows 1 person in at a time, you have to queue outside.

Pizza hut locally doesn't have the salad bar or the ' all you can eat for a set price' anymore, you have to order your salad and pizza and it's brought to you.

My feeling is that some places have found that the rules they originally brought in for Covid are suiting them better, so they are keeping them.

Rosehugger · 19/05/2022 05:23

I stayed at a Premier Inn this month and there were no restrictions for the breakfast buffet.

Everanewbie · 19/05/2022 08:54

hamsaladsandwichh · 19/05/2022 02:15

Businesses still dragging all of this out are going to lose their custom and end up going closing down. Most people have absolutely no tolerance anymore for the queueing and standing around in the rain waiting to be let in. If my local post office did this I would just drive out of my way to another branch and save myself the inconvenience.

I walked past a vintage/antique book shop last week with my husband and kids, from what we should see from outside we would definitely have spent some money in there.

There was a sign in the window saying masks are compulsory/no mask no entry. We assumed this was an old sign they'd just unknowingly left there as many shops seem to have done this.

Seeing as this is no longer a legal requirement we walked in and a woman was standing there with a mask and a visor on and held her hand out and said you all need to put masks on to come in.

We said we don't carry masks anymore, and our kids are, well kids and exempt in any event. She said then you need to leave.

We didn't make a scene or start a debate, but I did say she obviously doesn't need customers to keep her business going... and left. Following by another couple who had come in behind us. The shop was empty when we arrived and we left it empty when she forced us out.

When I looked on their fb page other people had the same experience, and were turned away. Many unhappy and confused potential customers that won't be going back.

If she's vulnerable then she can take any precautions she can by hopefully being vaccinated, covering her face, washing her hands, keeping a distance. But if she is going to ruin her business then more fool her.

Show quote history

Give it a few weeks there will be a sad face story in the local paper where she moans about waterstones and amazon. Like those masks make any difference anyway. Nuts.

Topgub · 19/05/2022 09:22

I cant believe people think we still need covid restrictions 🤣

But I dont mind being served. Buffets are pretty minging in some places

ancientgran · 19/05/2022 09:44

We might not need covid restrictions (I've been ill with it for 3 months so I might be more inclined to think some restrictions are a good idea) but we do need higher hygiene standards.

Salad bars can be awful breeding grounds for all sorts of things, I never use them much as I like a salad, the thought of what is probably lurking in there just doesn't appeal to me.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 19/05/2022 10:04

That woman in the bookshop does sound like a surprising amount of shopkeepers who don't understand the concept of a shop and seem to think that anybody coming in is intruding in their own personal living room!

I always remember visiting a discount bookshop - the ones where they mainly have remainders in - and all the books were 'displayed' (dumped) warehouse-style in random piles 7 or 8 deep, all different titles in each pile, and the only way to see what books there were was to pick up each pile and look through (or at least look down the spines) before replacing them (minus any that you wanted to buy/consider buying).

The woman there was furious at me 'ruining her display'!! How she thought customers could see the goods for sale without doing that was completely beyond me - I can only assume she was expecting people to waltz in and say "Good day, madam, kindly furnish me with 5 of your finest tomes completely at random - for I do so relish a delightful surprise rather than choosing my own preferred literature!"

You don't see it quite as much these days, but there was a time when you would routinely see the owners of small shops standing permanently in the doorway, looking forlornly up and down the street for potential customers and apparently not realising that, if anybody was thinking of coming in and maybe spending money in your shop, they most certainly won't do now if they would quite literally have to ask you to move to allow them to come in.

hamsaladsandwichh · 19/05/2022 13:14

Give it a few weeks there will be a sad face story in the local paper where she moans about waterstones and amazon. Like those masks make any difference anyway. Nuts.

.....

She was nuts, she looked at us like we'd walked in dripping in poisonous covid fluid in a covid cloud of smoke.

Not a healthy family wanting to spend some money in her shops before she runs it into the ground.

hamsaladsandwichh · 19/05/2022 13:14

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll 😂 they are absolutely crackers!

greencandlelight · 19/05/2022 14:30

We might not need covid restrictions (I've been ill with it for 3 months so I might be more inclined to think some restrictions are a good idea) but we do need higher hygiene standards.

This with bells on. I have a food allergy such that I can be in the same room as a food but cross contamination is a big issue. I welcome the elimination of self serve buffets and salad bars in favour of staff doing the serving! It means staff actually use the allocated utensils for each item rather than someone from the general public sticking the same spoon into 5 different bowls for 'ease' and means I can actually eat something! Not to mention the hygiene aspect of it stops people sticking their fingers in or forks that they've already licked, picking things up with their grubby fingers and then putting them back. If you want more, just ask. But this way of serving is much more inclusive and much more hygienic - it's no bad thing!

Thedogshouses · 19/05/2022 16:00

GlitteryGreen · 18/05/2022 11:07

I agree also that it gets rid of the 'unlimited' element to the salad bar as most would feel awkward to ask their waiter to go up again with them, that's even if the waiter has time to return to the table at all.

It would even be better if they had one or two dedicated members of staff stationed at the salad bar to do it for you, at least then you could still go up as you want, even if you can't dish it up yourself.

Clearly never stayed in a proper starred hotel 😀

IcedPurple · 19/05/2022 16:54

"I welcome the elimination of self serve buffets and salad bars in favour of staff doing the serving!"

It's a bit strange to want a certain style of dining to be 'eliminated'. Noone is forcing you to go to a self service buffet if you don't like it.

IcedPurple · 19/05/2022 16:56

Technonan · 18/05/2022 18:09

Because Covid hasn't gone away, and it can do a hell of a lot of damage: friend's DH admitted to hospital with cavities in his lungs from Covid; brain damage; people with no previous allergies suddenly developing them; flare-ups in auto-immune diseases that have been stable for a long time. Most viral illnesses don't do this. Covid is a nasty, nasty bug. And then there's long Covid.

Also, we have some new variants heading our way. Come winter, it will be back. I don't like Harvester, but I'm kind of warming to them here.

Let's just say that all of the above is true.

How is it going to be impacted by having a staff member serve the salad in an otherwise 'as normal' restaurant, with no 'distancing', capacity limits and with diners crowded in together?

Thedogshouses · 19/05/2022 17:02

I work offshore. Before, during and after Covid we had to get the risks of food. The saddos who don't know how the actual works outside their little UK housewife bubble, carry on.

Snoozer11 · 19/05/2022 17:05

CockingASnook · 18/05/2022 08:39

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

You know it will never disappear, don't you?

ancientgran · 19/05/2022 17:06

Thedogshouses · 19/05/2022 17:02

I work offshore. Before, during and after Covid we had to get the risks of food. The saddos who don't know how the actual works outside their little UK housewife bubble, carry on.

Not sure what your message means. "Before, during and Covid we had to get the risks of food." Do you mean you had to understand the risks of food?

How the actual works outside their...... How the actual what works?

eastegg · 19/05/2022 17:16

It was always likely that some changes brought in because of Covid would stick around because on one level or another they work. Like school kids not getting changed for P-E at school anymore. My kids’ schools have decided it’s better so the change stays.

Annoying if there’s a deliberate pretence it’s because of Covid when it’s not though, that’s irritating.

hamsaladsandwichh · 19/05/2022 17:23

eastegg · 19/05/2022 17:16

It was always likely that some changes brought in because of Covid would stick around because on one level or another they work. Like school kids not getting changed for P-E at school anymore. My kids’ schools have decided it’s better so the change stays.

Annoying if there’s a deliberate pretence it’s because of Covid when it’s not though, that’s irritating.

That's what pisses me off, when something inconveniences the customer, or causes delays or confusion. And it's 'because covid'.

No it fucking isn't.

Unless something is directly stopping covid particles landing in your body, is is not because of covid.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 19/05/2022 17:34

I work offshore. Before, during and after Covid we had to get the risks of food. The saddos who don't know how the actual works outside their little UK housewife bubble, carry on.

I don't understand what this is meant to mean - but it sounds like it's intended to be quite aggressive and somewhat misogynistic.

ancientgran · 19/05/2022 17:46

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 19/05/2022 17:34

I work offshore. Before, during and after Covid we had to get the risks of food. The saddos who don't know how the actual works outside their little UK housewife bubble, carry on.

I don't understand what this is meant to mean - but it sounds like it's intended to be quite aggressive and somewhat misogynistic.

Glad it's not just me. I've had a bit of brain fog since covid, 12 weeks of hell and still recovering, and I get a bit worried when I can't figure something out. I read it several times but just couldn't figure it out.

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