Noodles don’t travel well and Pattaya soup sellers say they may simply close rather than try to survive on delivery sales.
Dine-in service at restaurants in Chonburi, a “deep red” coronavirus-control zone, is prohibited for the foreseeable future and eateries offering takeout and delivery must close at 9 p.m.
Worrawut Nantsurasak, Nai Ton noodle shop owner, said his noodle soup doesn’t taste as good when delivered as it does at the restaurant. Noodles, even separated from the soup, get stuck together. Many customers don’t like it.
He said other regular customers stop by on their way to work, so takeout orders don’t work for them either. Worrawut figures he’ll lose 70 percent of his customers during this later shutdown.
For now, he’s cutting stock levels and hanging on.
Pairat Puttaruksakul has been selling beef and pork noodles for 12 years at her Jae To restaurant.
She agreed that takeaway noodle soup loses its appeal, even though she uses plastic bowls that separate the broth from the noodles.
She said domestic tourists still visiting Chonburi also wouldn’t be interested, as they don’t live here.
Pairat isn’t sure she can earn enough from to-go orders to remain open, even if she cuts stock levels for raw materials.
Pairat also is still paying off a loan she took during the first coronavirus shutdown. She hopes the government will lend financial assistance this time.
