EOTHO
Approaching 30 million meals were subsidised under the government’s Eat Out To Help Out initiative last week, bringing the grand total to over 64 million since it was launched on 3 August.
The first week saw 10.5 million covers benefit from the scheme, which enables customers to claim up to 50% off bills at participating pubs, cafes and restaurants up to a maximum of £10 each.
The figure rose to 25 million in the second week, indicating a strong upwards trend. The initiative runs until 31 August - Bank Holiday Monday.
The government introduced Eat Out To Help Out as part of its broader response to the coronavirus lockdown, saying the hospitality sector is a crucial part of the economy, supporting at least 1.8 million jobs.
It has set aside £500 million to pay for the discounted meals.
Available only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the discount applies to food and non-alcoholic drinks eaten on the premises. There is no limit to the number of times a person can obtain the discount.
The scheme operates by diners asking for their bill to be reduced. The establishment claims the money from the government.
There have thus far been 34 million searches by 13 million unique users on the official Eat Out To Help Out restaurant finder, which uses postcodes to locate participating eateries in any given area.
Concerns have been expressed that the way the scheme operates will simply shift patterns of demand, with people simply eating out at the beginning of the week instead of later.
Government data shows that during Eat Out to Help Out’s third week, the number of customers at UK restaurants was 61% higher than the same days last year on average for Monday to Wednesday.
The average level across Monday to Wednesday in the first and second week were 12% and 41% respectively.
Phil Mills at business analysts Old Mill says the scheme is offering a short term boost but thinks more needs to be done: "While any initiatives put in place to help the country’s struggling pubs and restaurants are welcome, I'm not sure Eat Out to Help Out is offering the solution we need.
"Pubs and restaurants are usually pretty busy in August and, with so many countries now on the quarantine list, more people have opted for a staycation so I'm not sure pushing demand over the summer holidays was the right solution.
"What the sector really needs is more sustained initiatives that drive demand, not just for a month, but throughout the rest of the year, allowing businesses to find their feet without being lulled into a false sense of security by short term measures."
Under the scheme, a party of four would get £40 off a bill of £90 (£10 each), thus paying £50.
If the bill were £40 for four diners, they would save £20 – the maximum 50% discount on their total bill.
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August 25, 2020 at 10:47PM
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