When he was asked about the impact of the last two years on the restaurant industry with the spread of COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed, he clarified that the restaurant industry is still operating in an acceptable manner.
However, an economic shift occurred to adjust to the Lebanese market demands which he previously discussed in his articles two years ago.
The expansion of big chain restaurants had to slow down, giving a chance for smaller restaurants to function, the thing that happened during the pandemic.
To the question, “what about the economic situation in Lebanon, its impact on the business and how to survive it?”Anthony answered, “unfortunately, certain restaurants but not all of them have sacrificed their quality to maintain the same profit margin.”
“Restaurants have to realize that we are in a survival phase. They need to maintain their food taste and quality in order to remain competitive. They should sacrifice their profits until the economy thrives again.”
“Restaurants should find alternative ways in doing their business. They might consider opening an additional shift, decrease their expenses through closing some of their outlets, considering delivery services, renting a kitchen space to non-profit organizations, adding a daily platter to their menu and so on.”
“The key for survival is to be able to adapt to the current situation until things change again for the better,” he added.
To the question about his work internationally, he explained that in the continuing efforts of providing consultancy to Lebanese businesses, he was always supporting Lebanese franchises anywhere in the world.
He visited Australia and UAE offering support and advice for Lebanese entrepreneurs and looking for broader coverage in other countries.
Anthony is full of hope about the future and he is looking forward to brighter days.
We simply have to believe in ourselves, remain positive and simply know how to adapt to overcome this phase.
He finally concluded that it takes passion, love for quality food, professionalism and commitment to own and manage a restaurant successfully, so “let’s not forget that.”
