As many restaurant owners are seeking to navigate a “new normal” and how to best operate their businesses according to COVID-19 restrictions, one Houston owner has come up with a new innovation for his restaurant.
This comes as the National Restaurant Association released a new survey which showed that just under 20% of restaurants in the United States are closing permanently, Fox 26 news reported.
“It’s still under construction but this is going to be the first location for Shoot the Moon,” Executive Director, Kevin Floyd, explained.
Self-serve wine bar Shoot The Moon already has a second outpost in the works, HEB plans free Thanksgiving food giveaway, and more Houston dining intel https://t.co/CrdoYEkKUi pic.twitter.com/eQ7D4hVuMn
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Floyd’s idea involves taking away the bar.
“Here we’ve taken away the bar and what’s going to be above these taps are computer screens.”
“The guest will be able to come in, get their ID checked, their age verified, open a tab and they’ll have an access card that’ll open all these taps,” Floyd explained.
Customers will be given an access card which can either be prepaid or linked to a regular credit card. Once their access card has been scanned, customers can chose from a wide range of beers, wines, and cocktails available on draft and be able to pour themselves a drink.
Customers will also be charged for drinks by the ounce on their access card.
The computer also has a system to limit the amount of alcohol a customer is allowed to have. However, there will be waitstaff on hand if they need to cut highly intoxicated people off. This also means that there would be less of a need for waitstaff, and it would limit contact between people. (RELATED: Bar Owner Who Broke Coronavirus Rules Hits Deputy With Vehicle While Fleeing Police, Sheriff Says)
As an added incentive to invest in Shoot the Moon, Floyd is offering free pizza for life.
“For everyone that invests $1000 or more into the crowdfunding campaign, you’ll get free pizza for life. One pizza every week for life. We did the math and you could get the return on your money in just two years,” Floyd explained.
Floyd and his business partners were previously planning on opening Shoot the Moon locations in the next five years throughout Houston. However, with the pandemic everything has become a little more frustrating.