Can locals come to the rescue of the Goan restaurant market?

The last ten months have been brutal for everyone in business. No business meant no salaries in many cases and substantial job losses. The restaurant business was hit just as hard. The customers just stopped coming. The future looked dark but over a period of time, people learned to adapt. Delivery platforms were used aggressively to service requirements and keep restaurants functional, barely. Many families used these services and helped keep these restaurants above water.  But the question still remains as to how will the Goan restaurateur attract the children of the soil into his restaurant.             

Joylin Menezes  of Adlem Goem  said since they had commenced operations last year it was a bit of a challenge to get the Goan customer. She said “We are using Facebook , Whatsapp  to publicise our restaurant. We make it clear to everyone we are following all the regulations. I have a database of all our customers to whom I regularly send messages. Now I have bands playing every second and fourth Saturday. We have reworked and reduced the alcohol rates and revamped the menu. We now serve breakfast, evening tea as well as continental fare. We are working out different solutions for different customers to attract business.”

Amory d’souza of Yaki Zushi said they had latched on to online platforms like Swiggy and Zomato to service needs. He said “We use online media and talk to prominent influencers. The local market is very important to us. That focus will never change. Tourists in this case the domestic tourists come for a short time and yes boost our earnings dramatically but it is the local Goan customers who are very important to us.”

Rauls, is a hotspot that seems to be generating quite a buzz. Deepak Shrivastava VP Operations said they had a Goan Chef Robert Marquis who had a great deal of experience was focused on creating an interesting Goan menu with a twist. They had he said plans to open a Goan Portuguese restaurant that would offer everything from breakfast to dinner. It will have  typical Goan specialties with a interesting twist. It will be very unique in Goa he promised.

 Others spoken to also said they were focused on maintaining high standards and making necessary changes in the Goan menu. The general feeling was that business was improving but competition had gotten harder because people were thinking twice before stepping out to eat.    

The Goan is and will remain an important segment that will have to be handled with great attention.