Not the more the merrier - Restaurant take-out orders show how people are breaking coronavirus measures

Thanks to the Christmas take-out menus, restaurants are experiencing a few profitable days. However, the orders coming in also show that some people are not adhering to the coronavirus rules. “About 300 customers have ordered a Christmas menu from us. With at least 70 people, the orders were so large that I am sure it is not by the book,” one restaurant owner told RTL Nieuws.

For the catering industry, Christmas takeaways are a godsend. Even if only a little, they make up for the damage done to the industry in the previous months. However, some restaurant owners found that during the holidays, some orders were suspiciously large. They show that not everyone is following the rule of only inviting up to three guests during Christmas.

“I am very busy with orders. There is even one for eighteen people. Of course, that is not possible, but I don’t want to miss out on my turnover,” admits one restaurant owner.

The investigation conducted by RTL Nieuws found that this was not an exception. “It is a little awkward,” says Sanne, owner of a chic restaurant in a village in the province of Utrecht. “I know almost all of my customers personally, and I know that orders are being made that don’t follow the rules. Far too many per household,” she says.

“Of course, you want to make money in these harsh times, but you also know if people do this en masse, the infections will remain high, and the hospitality industry will remain closed even longer.” She sees this as a big dilemma, “because if you say ‘no,’ they will order from the neighbors.”

In a restaurant in Gelderland, they are also on their toes these days. However, it seems that people are sticking to the rules. “We have 540 Christmas menus that have been ordered. On average, four people order per address. So everything seems to be going well behind closed doors,” says one restaurant owner.

The owner has even had customers who canceled their order after Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s speech because the it was for too many people.