Paying to sit on a terrace—the future? According to KHN, it could happen…
Yes! Today is the day we have all been eagerly looking forward to: the hospitality industry is reopening! Soon, we can all do what we love so much and have missed so dearly: eat out and sit on a terrace. But what exactly will this look like in the future? Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) does not rule out the possibility that we may have to pay a hefty price for it.
Today is the day when the sun is shining again, both literally and figuratively. 25 degrees, a light breeze… it is almost impossible to imagine better weather for a cold beer on the terrace. Despite all the measures—which, let’s be honest, are simply very uninviting—I am incredibly happy that it is possible again. But what will it look like today and in the future? Municipalities in many cities have given permission to expand terraces, so that as many people as possible can enjoy the easing of the measures on the one hand, while hospitality entrepreneurs can generate revenue again on the other.
One sip per beer
For the hospitality industry, however, it will be difficult to make money under the new one-and-a-half-metre regulations. ‘This summer, I’m going to open against my better judgment, because I really can’t recoup the costs in a 1.5-metre society; for virtually every hospitality business, keeping 1.5 metres apart is genuinely impossible… Of every beer sold, the entrepreneur keeps one sip, and then you’re already doing well,’ hospitality entrepreneur Marcel Hansen told us during the mandatory closure of the hospitality industry.
Paying for a terrace?
KHN also acknowledges that things will be difficult for entrepreneurs, the industry association said in AD. Entrepreneurs will have to keep an eye on their revenue and costs. According to KHN, this could even lead to prices going up—or, even more strikingly, to us having to pay just to be allowed onto the terrace: ‘That could translate into a different offering, opening hours and prices whose composition and structure will change, such as charging for a terrace or reserved time slots. Time will tell.’
Terrasindebuurt.nl
Are you eager to rush onto a terrace, but worried that there will no longer be a table available? Via terrasindebuurt.nl, you can see whether there is still a spot for you. If it is red, look for another place. If it is green, there is room. You can use the app completely free of charge—how convenient. And one more thing: there is no maximum number of people on terraces. Everyone must sit at a table and keep 1.5 metres apart (except people from the same household and so-called ‘twosomes’). Go for it today!
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