DINERS across the UK took advantage of this month’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme more than 10.5 million times in its first week.
And restaurants across the borough are celebrating the return of loyal customers and new ones too.
The voucher initiative, which began on Monday, August 3, sees a selection of pubs, cafés and restaurants offer discounted food and soft drinks from Monday to Wednesday throughout this month.
The impact has already been felt by The Farm Cafe, at Ashridge Manor Garden Centre, which saw customers old and new walk through its doors last week.
And they’ve adapted their menu to give diners some new choices, at half price.
“We’re lucky the scheme applies across our whole menu, because we don’t sell alcohol,” explained Karen, co-owner of The Farm Cafe.
“Instead, we’ve added a couple of special items, so that our customers can try something new.
“We’re serving up lots of fresh, seasonal dishes including a chicken caesar salad, and vegetarian version, a baked mac and cheese and homemade garlic bread.”
When the scheme was announced, eateries across the country were worried the discounts at the start of the week would affect the weekend trade.
But Karen said it’s been working well.
“Our first day was quieter, but the second day was just insanely busy. We’re coming into work earlier and prepping like crazy.
“It brought in a lot of new faces, and people who wouldn’t usually come out to eat.
“It was great to see it didn’t impact the Thursday, Friday business — there was no end of week plummet.
“In fact, we’re busy anyway and this has just made us busier.”
This, she said, poses an extra challenge for staff.
“It’s all about reassuring customers that it’s okay to come back out. Last week we had a table come out with a baby — it was their first time out since lockdown and were quite nervous. But we showed them that we’re really covid-friendly and have lots of outdoor space.
“They were so comfortable they’ve already been back.”
Karen added: “It’s reassuring to see so many people return. During lockdown it was like a long distance relationship, with customers saying they would come back when they could. And actually it’s really proven customer trust and loyalty to the cafe.”
Since the scheme launch last week, the Treasury has estimated the average claim is close to £5, making the cost of the policy around £50 million so far.
And the government has set aside £500 million to fund the policy throughout August.
Karen added: “This is a great scheme for this month, but I don’t think we need anymore. The industry has breathed a sigh of relief, and we’re really hoping that September settles into itself.
The discount is only on food and soft drinks eaten on the premises, so it does not apply to takeaways.
There is no limit on how many times the discount can be used in August, or for how many people, including children.
To view a comprehensive and interactive map of all the local restaurants who have joined the scheme, visit wokingham.today and search for ‘Eat Out to Help Out
