Businesses trying to keep spark alive for Valentine’s Day

 

The movement control order means couples will not be able to wine and dine at restaurants this Valentine’s Day. (Rawpixel pic)

PETALING JAYA: Valentine’s Day is usually the busiest time of the year for high-end restaurants and florists.

But these are not usual times, and the movement control order (MCO) means couples will have to wine and dine at home – denying restaurants and florists some valuable income during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Valentine’s Day is usually full-house. Confirmed,” said a spokesperson for Vantador, a popular steakhouse in Desa Sri Hartamas.

“But now during the MCO, everyone’s doing deliveries. This year we already started getting some bookings (for deliveries) earlier this week after the announcement that the MCO will be extended (until Feb 18).”

The restaurant’s representative said they were helping customers create their own Valentine’s Day experience at home by asking them for photos which they then print onto a card and include with the meal.

They also encourage diners to plate their own food in order to make it more visually appealing, suggesting tips like decorating plates with edible flowers.

Other establishments like Zenzero Restaurant & Wine Bar in Kuala Lumpur are hoping that couples will opt for deliveries this year, with operations manager Azmi Ismail promising diners the same authentic Italian cuisine the restaurant is renowned for in the comfort of their homes.

“That’s one time that you can’t go wrong. Valentine’s and New Year’s Eve,” he said.”Usually we would have around 20-35 couples booked for the 6-8pm slot and the same number after 8pm he said,” adding that the restaurant had already unveiled its four-course set menu for the day.

Florists just as affected

Florists have been hit just as hard during the MCO, with Sree, a human resource executive at the Weng Hoa Flower Boutique in Kuala Lumpur, saying that they have had to reduce overseas imports due to the lack of flights.

With deliveries and self-pick ups the order of the day, Sree said they had seen sales plummet by up to 60% during the current MCO.

“We are affected by the MCO but what can we do?” he said.

“We’re just reducing prices and trying to sell our stock as fast as we can,” he said of the company’s current sales strategy.

Jasmine Hiew, the owner of Jasmine Florist & Craft in Puchong, said sales had dropped by 50% since the MCO but said she couldn’t predict what the numbers would be like on Valentine’s Day.

“People cannot travel outside and everyone’s just staying home, so that may be a good thing for us,as people will celebrate at home and order from us,” she said. - FMT