Thanks for calling – How phone calls became an unexpected lifeline for restaurants during the pandemic

COVID-19, NewsStephanie DickisonDecember 8, 2020Toronto, Toronto Restaurants, Toronto Restaurants News, December 2020, Toronto restaurant news, restaurant, restaurants, Toronto restaurant closings, Toronto restaurants, new Toronto restaurants, new Toronto restaurant, Toronto’s newest restaurants, toronto’s newest restaurants, new Toronto coffee shop, new Toronto bakery, new Toronto cafe, new Toronto bakeries, new Toronto bar, toronto bakery, Toronto restaurant closures, Toronto restaurants and bars, Toronto restaurant, Toronto Restaurants Newsletter, toronto restaurants, Toronto Restaurants Stephanie Dickison, Toronto Restaurants by Stephanie Dickison, toronto nightclubs, Toronto drinks event, Toronto food + wine, Toronto food + drinks, toronto food, Toronto food news, toronto food + drinks, Toronto food event, Toronto food and drinks, Toronto food, Toronto food events, toronto food event, Toronto food + drink, Toronto food shop, Toronto foodie, Open/Closed, OpenClosed, Open/Closed by 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virus, coronavirus, Coronavirus, corona, Coronavirus pandemic, coronavirus pandemic, novel coronavirus, pandemic, global pandemic, COVID-19 pandemic, technology, QR codes, AI-enhanced websites, restaurants were ordered to close on March 17 unless offering takeout and delivery, phone convos, preferred method of communication, phone convos became a preferred method of communication, method of communication, communication, phone, call, Network status, texting texting over talking, when technology goes down, technology goes down, pre-COVID, phones are a fairly reliable backup, websites, third-party delivery apps, third-party delivery, delivery menu, delivery apps, delivery app, delete delivery apps, delivery options, delivery in Toronto, #DELIVERYTORONTO, order delivery, order takeout and delivery, Order takeout and delivery from local establishments, order takeout and delivery whenever possible, ordering takeout and delivery whenever possible, order delivery and takeout, food and drink delivery, food delivery app, Toronto takeout, takeout menu, Takeout/Delivery Challenge, takeout + delivery, takeout Wednesdays, Toronto food takeout, Takeout Tuesday, Takeout Tuesdays, Toronto takeout food, The #TAKEOUTTORONTO #DELIVERYTORONTO Project, The #TAKEOUTTORONTO #DELIVERYTORONTO Project, Toronto Restaurants #TAKEOUTTORONTO #DELIVERYTORONTO Project, #TAKEOUTTORONTO, #TAKEOUTTORONTO #DELIVERYTORONTO Project, hospitality businesses, hospitality, hospitality business, hospitality workers, hospitality employee, hospitality worker, hospitality owners, power outages, service disruptions, Toronto restaurateurs, restaurateurs, local restaurateurs, local restaurateurs speak out, coronavirus crisis, Open for business, Hours of operation, Hours of operation for local food and drink businesses, Google’s COVID-19 tools and resources, Google COVID-19 tools and resources, COVID-19 tools and resources, Google, constant website updates, social media updates, temporarily close, reopen, Resources for Reopening Your Cafe, Resources for Reopening Your Foodservice Business, Resources for Reopening, Resources for Reopening Your Bar, rules and regulations for reopening, best way to find out if and when a place is open, Sign of the times, Not having a sign phone or reservations, reservations, Toronto restaurant reservations, restaurant reservation, restaurant reservations, phone numbers featured prominently in Instagram bios, older establishments, Mattachioni, Maker Pizza, buzzy newcomers, Restaurant Le Phénix, Maggie Chu’s Noodle Bar, patio, patio dining, patio reopening, patio relaunch, patio crowds, patios reopening, patios reopening in Toronto, patio reservations, reservations for patio, reservations for patio seating, indoor dining, prohibiting indoor dining for the next 28 day, closure of indoor dining, when indoor dining returns, contention between restaurant owners and third-party delivery apps, restaurant owners and third-party delivery apps, Toronto restaurant owners, restaurant owners, rely solely on takeout and delivery, free delivery, host of restaurants to choose from, offers of free delivery, despite offers of free delivery, comes at a high cost for businesses, comes at a high cost, Many platforms in Ontario are charging fees of 25-35 per cent per order, at a time when restaurants can’t even afford rent, petition, Petition to Cap All Third-Party Delivery App Fees in Toronto and GTA at 15%, Petition to Cap All Third-Party Delivery App Fees, petition to help restaurants, Cap All Third-Party Delivery App Fees in Toronto and GTA at 15% Petition, online petition, Calling in your order directly to a restaurant, Councillor Michael Ford’s motion for the Province to cap third-party delivery ommissions, outrageously high fees and commissions, IRL, many instances where phones reigns supreme, online ordering system, online ordering, website, restaurant website, restaurant websites, best way to place your order, place your order, the best way to place your order is still by phone, digital age, hundreds of restaurants and shops don’t have a website, mom and pop eateries and stores, diners, restaurants in low income neighbourhoods, mom and pop, mom and pop eateries, mom and pop restaurants, mom and pop shops, Many of these places still operate via landline, landline, busy signal, Budget bites, pre-pandemic, Shop pantry items, merch + bottles, pantry items, merchandise, merch, bottles, wine, beer, cider, alcohol, inventory, dishes for takeout and delivery, morphed into full-on bodegas, bodega, bodegas, bottle shop, bottle shops in Toronto, bottle shop in Toronto, Toronto bottle shop, Toronto bottle shops, grocery store fatigue, grocery fatigue, add in a variety of pantry items, variety of pantry items, t-shirt, tote, toque, six-pack of local brews, six-pack, local brews, six pack, six pack of local brews, sommelier selected bottle of wine, sommelier, Sommelier, bottle of wine, remote region of Spain or Italy, remote region of Spain, remote region of Italy, Italy, Spain, holiday shopping, holiday shopping this year, Sound advice, sound advice, advice, Pre-pandemic, budget bites, ordered takeout from a variety of places, ordered takeout from a variety of restaurants, ordered takeout from a variety of shops, money is tight, money's tight, job futures uncertain, job futures are uncertain, price cuts, price cut, ten to thirty per cent off, ordering takeout can cost roughly the same price as making a meal at home, deep discounts are a great incentive to still support your local businesses, support your local businesses, support your local businesses and people, deep discounts are a great incentive, indulge in your love of sushi, indulge in your love of pizza, indulge in your love of tacos, indulge in your love of empandas, call ahead, call your order ahead, Pick up the phone, pick up the phone, owners and employees are excited to talk with you, create meaningful experiences, meaningful experiences, Honest Weight, The Junction, restaurant in The Junction, restaurants in The Junction, The Junction restaurant, The Junction restaurants, track your order, exact delivery time, delivery time, delivery area, we love talking to you, make recommendations, help you pick super fresh seafood, really nice pantry items, delivery windows, re-hire people who were laid-off back in March, every dollar you spend goes to the people who prepare your food, Just one of the many reasons to skip big box store shopping, supplement grocery purchases with ones from small neighbourhood businesses, Connecting you now, social distancing, social distancing dining, social distancing protocols, social distancing measures, social distancing rules, new social distancing rules, health and safety protocols, safety guidelines and procedures, safety protocols, prohibit close contact, hugs, other forms of intimacy, talking on the phone, great way to connect with others in an otherwise isolating time, great way to connect with others, connect with others, connect with others in an otherwise isolating time, otherwise isolating time, solating time, isolating, server, Zoom meeting, Zoom meetings, Zoom, Zoom app, Zoom call, Zoom calls, way to stay connected until dining rooms open again, stay connected until dining rooms open again, until dining rooms open again, until dining rooms open, call and place your order today