It was inevitable, many people responded to having a meal on a terrace on May 28th . The response is such that several restaurants are already full.
Photo Sophie Morisset
While it is well known that the food supply in the region is large and above all delicious, one thing has also just been proven, many have been missing it. In a short time, seating available on the terraces, as of May 28th and in the establishments, on May 31th , were practically all reserved. In some places like the Restaurant Le Reggiano in Sainte-Martine, the press conference announcing the reopening of the restaurants was not over and the telephone was already ringing. “We have a wonderful two-story terrace, says Jocelyn Arcan of Restaurant Le Reggiano. Customers can’t wait to come back. There was a client who called while the Prime Minister was making his announcement. Obviously, she was a little eager and wanted to be the first to reserve.” The experience of having a meal in a restaurant will remain the same at Le Reggiano, but changes have been made. “Customers will need to wear the mask when moving around and for now, we’re talking about family bubbles. Also, we will not have a singer since customers will not be allowed to dance.”
Labour
Several workers in the restaurant business have found new jobs. Inevitably, there are vacancies. At Le Reggiano, Jocelyn Arcan explains that this reality will not be problematic. “During the closing, since we could place take-out orders, it allowed us to keep our cooks. As for the servers, they are generally students. They called back and they will come back. You should know that it is lucrative to be a waiter in the restaurant business. They would even call me for news.” In some places, such as the Club Touriste in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, many customers contacted the establishment. As Mathieu Campeau, co-owner of the Club Touriste explains, the phone does not stop ringing. “It feels good to see that, says Mr. Campeau. It’s a lot of management, but we’re getting through it. Our customers are loyal. Moreover, in less than 24 hours, we are already full for the days following the reopening.” The co-owner also owns another establishment in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. This time, it is about Mc Broue, also located on Victoria Street. “The phone started ringing again. Our teams will work hard. We need to make sure the orders come in. In this regard, it should also be taken into account that prices have increased significantly.”
New concept
At the Patate et Persil restaurant in Vaudreuil-Dorion, the concept has been revised. While customers used to come to the counter to place orders, now employees will come to the tables. Another interesting fact is that the management of the establishment, which is located at 9, ave Saint-Charles in Vaudreuil-Dorion, does not take any reservations. As Mélanie, an employee of the restaurant, explains, seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
