Eating out in restaurants is allowed in the New Normal, thank you, but the experience is nowhere like normal. And it’s a bit painful. I get the restricted seating. And social distancing. But I cannot understand restaurants replacing menus with a QR code on a tent card placed on the table. Diners have to use smartphones to scan the QR code and see the menu.
That’s challenging. I don’t know what happens if you don’t have a smartphone. After you’ve decided your meal, you place your order online, like you were calling for food at home or office through Zomato and Swiggy. It goes into the kitchen and your meal is prepared. If you want to cancel anything on your order and replace it with something else, God help you, the QR code gets confused.
Meanwhile, masked waiters pour water, arrange plates and cutlery, serve food, get your bill. They only don’t take your order. Restaurants aren’t self-service eateries. There will be contact. To avoid a menu being passed around (with Covid?) why not slip it beneath a glass-topped table like Irani restaurants do? Or print cheap disposable paper menus (like tissues) for each table?
Amir Hashmi 