Since the pandemic began last March, Columbia's local restaurants had to adapt to find new ways of generating revenue. Focusing on to-go orders and remolding the atmosphere of their restaurants to fit COVID-19 precautions are two of the changes Saluda's Restaurant, Kao Thai Cuisine and the Hendrix Restaurant have made.
Saluda's Restaurant
When Saluda’s Restaurant shut down last March, it was open for to-go orders only. Owner Steven Cook explained that their takeout business recently has been less popular because people are becoming more comfortable eating out again.
Cook said that they have not been focusing on takeout because they do not want to compromise the quality of their food by packaging it.
“We're selling food, sure, but really what we're selling is the atmosphere,” Cook said.
Cook said that he thinks that fine dining restaurants are in a position to be especially impacted by the pandemic. He believes that restaurants like Chick-Fil-A and Starbucks are better prepared for to-go dining because of how their businesses normally operate.
It is a priority of Cook's to provide a “perfect” dining experience, and COVID-19 precautions are now a part of this.
“I look at a nice hotel’s website or a nice restaurant’s website. They're over the top trying to make you feel comfortable, and we try to do the same thing,” Cook said.
Kao Thai Cuisine
Kao Thai Cuisine, located on Senate Street, occupies the historic Columbia Central Fire Station that closed in 1994.Its menu showcases a variety of modern Thai dishes, small dishes and craft cocktails.
Owned by Gai Wilson and her daughter Sunshine Cobb, Kao Thai is a relatively new business to Columbia; before COVID-19 shut the restaurant down last March, the business had been open for less than two years.
Cobb, who also works at Lexington Medical Center full time, said that not as many people are eating out due to the pandemic. She said that the restaurant is lucky that Asian food is easy to take-out.
Cobb credits their takeout orders as one of the main reasons their restaurant is still open.
“I think that is kind of what's kept us alive,” Cobb said.
Sunshine said that about half of their current orders are takeout, and the other half is their in-house dining.
Cobb explained that recently, Kao Thai Cuisine has had to make tough decisions to be able to pay their bills while keeping their guests safe. However, their customers are patient when issues like slow waiting times occur at the restaurant.
“Most people I think have been really understanding and compassionate,” Cobb said.
Hendrix Restaurant
The Hendrix Restaurant maintains the quality of their food by using local products. General Manager Wade Penland of Hendrix, located on Main Street, is trying to keep using local produce and supporting local farmers as much as possible.
Penland feels that the restaurant’s techniques and quality of cooking are lost when packaged for to-go orders. He doesn’t want to let the food's quality be diminished when it is sent home.
Penland said that Hendrix, as well as other restaurants, had to decide if they want to change their business models for profit. Penland said that by focusing on to-go orders they “risk really losing what it was that made you special in the first place.”
According to Penland, Hendrix has seen significantly fewer numbers compared to before the pandemic started. He believes business will slowly return to normal when the pandemic ends.
“There are just a lot less people who are comfortable going out,” Penland said, “So we're competing for a much smaller group of diners.”