SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — With fears mounting over the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak, some restaurant chains have are cutting back their operating hours in a bid to weather the storm.
VIPS, a chain steakhouse operated by CJ Foodville Corp., has recently been staying open 30 minutes to one hour shorter than usual considering the characteristics of customer visits.
The decision to cut opening hours is based on the analysis that the number of customers with children has dropped significantly, while the overall number of customers decreased due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
In fact, it has been reported that airport restaurants as well as those in the popular shopping neighborhood of Myeongdong, Seoul, have seen their sales drop by 30 percent after the Covid-19 outbreak in South Korea.
VIPS, in response, is focusing on expanding its delivery service by offering discounts for those ordering using delivery apps.
Delivery is now in its infancy for the majority of restaurant chains, but there is a possibility that the coronavirus outbreak will spur rapid expansion.
Image Credit: CJ Foodville / photonews@koreabizwire.com
