This is How Zomato Aims to Revive Restaurant Industry Post Covid-19 LockdownThe platform will introduce a new feature 'Contactless Dining' post the lockdown to minimise touchpoints and ensure safety of diners

Restaurant industry is one of the worst hit by Covid-19 virus. Even before the lockdown was announced on 25 March, restaurants, in cities where they were still operational, had reported 40-45 per cent decline in footfall. Experts believe even after the lockdown is lifted customers will continue to shy away from dining out.

Restaurant aggregator and food delivery startup Zomato wants to help the industry stand back on its feet by devising technology-based safety solutions. Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO, Zomato on Saturday announced a new feature "contactless dining' the platform plans to introduce post the lockdown.

"We anticipate dining out will undergo significant and permanent changes in the way it operates. Based on some recent consumer studies, diners are ranking safety assurance and hygiene as their top factors when they choose a restaurant for dine in," Goyal tweeted. Contactless Dining is aimed at making dining experience safer and more efficient by eliminating the use of high touch elements at restaurants, he said.

The feature will enable contactless menu, ordering and payment in order to minimise touchpoints. "Imagine a full-stack dining experience, but with the least possible threat to health and safety," Goyal said explaining how the feature will work.

Not just for customers, the platform will also introduce regulatory features for restaurant partners. "We're adding features on the app to allow restaurants to self-report hygiene and safety measures they undertake, such as sanitizing kitchens, disinfecting tables, etc," Goyal explained. Users will also be able to share feedback on hygiene at restaurants via the app.

Zomato has around 15 million restaurant partners across 24 countries.

"I feel a proactive approach towards safety and hygiene will go a long way in building confidence back in dining out. The teams will start reaching out to restaurants in the coming weeks to educate them about Contactless Dining and self regulation," Goyal said. "So—when the lockdown ends—our restaurant partners can inspire confidence in the public and usher a safer, seamless era of dining experiences."