In the wake of the pandemic, trends in the restaurant industry have changed drastically, with changing habits and preferred styles of dining. In order to stay afloat, many restaurants have had to adopt a hybrid business model, catering to in-person and at-home needs of customers.
Once upon a time, you had to make a choice between eating in and eating out, and that was that. Nowadays, your favourite restaurants have upgraded their service to include take out options, delivery and even drive-thru.
This concept of a “hybrid restaurant model” is the vision for the future of restaurants, and has piqued the interest of food service professionals, as it offers a blend of dine-in service with a robust takeout and delivery structure.
So what are the advantages of a hybrid approach?
First of all, being able to offer convenience to customers is essential for much of the food service transactions that occur today. People want what they want, and they want it in 30 minutes or less. So, the power of convenience is a strong benefit to any business.
Additionally, offering a delivery or takeaway option allows customers you might not have otherwise attracted to try your food, as it requires less commitment to order than dining in. This expands your customer base.
With more customers, this means more revenue. Some businesses depend on their takeout and delivery orders to survive, and as times get tougher, this model may just be what everyone needs to stay afloat.
Finally, by expanding the types of items you offer and how you offer them, you can naturally generate publicity for your business.
However, there are drawbacks, as it is difficult to maintain the quality of food offerings when they are delivered, and this can result in negative feedback posted online.
At the end of the day, it’s important to give the people what they want, and for some people, that’s a gastronomic in-dining experience without compromise, but most often, it’s a tasty takeaway in front of the TV.
Nowadays, there are hundreds of choices facilitated by apps like Grab making restaurants hybrid businesses. Here are some of the hybrid restaurant businesses still thriving today in Vietnam.
Pizza 4Ps
What was once a small, tucked away Japanese pizzeria on Le Thanh Ton has now expanded to 14 locations across Ho Chi Minh City. After COVID, they even opened a Delivery Hub, so that residents in Thanh My Loi could have a fresh pizza delivered straight to their door in minutes.
Pizza 4Ps serve classic and Japanese fusion pizzas that could hold its head up high anywhere else in the world, and having so many locations ensures a larger number of customers will be able to eat them fresh and hot by having one in proximity to them. Of course, a simple reheat in the oven, and it will be as if you were there at the restaurant.
Marcel Gourmet Burger
Offering dine-in, takeaway and delivery options, Marcel Gourmet Burger is great for both dining out and eating in, with its stellar list of mouth-watering burgers. Try their 2019 winner of the Best Burger in Saigon, ‘Le Smoky’, beef, smoked with Comté cheese, grilled onions, shiitake relish and Béarnaise sauce.
Thai Street
Offering delivery to residents of District 2, Ho Chi Minh City is Thai Street, a fantastically authentic Thai restaurant that transports you to Bangkok, even from the comfort of your own home. Don’t miss their bouncy Pad See Ew noodles, stir-fried with vegetables and your choice of meat. Of course, you have to come back for their delicious array of hot curries, street food snacks and appetisers.
