Some F&B outlets bracing for impact after new 5-person limit on social gatherings

The month of May, with สล็อตดาวน์โหลด a few public holidays, is usually the most profitable period of the year for eateries such as Chinese restaurant chain Yunnans.

“There’s Labour Day, Mother's Day, Vesak Day – and also a lot of long weekends”, said Yunnans' chief operating officer Reuben Chua.

So when authorities announced on Tuesday (May 4) that the cap on social gatherings would be lowered from eight people to five for most of this month, Mr Chua said restaurateurs were left “feeling quite sian” – a Hokkien word indicating frustration.

“This is the only month in the year with so many holidays … So it will be a challenge,” he lamented.

The decision to tighten the limit on group sizes comes amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in the community and essentially takes Singapore back to Phase 2 of its reopening.

Eateries CNA spoke to said they had expected the new measure when COVID-19 clusters began forming, but they were still disappointed to hear the announcement.

With the rules set to kick in on Saturday, Mr Chua expects business for Mother's Day on Sunday to dip by about 20 per cent compared to initial expectations.

Diners have already begun cancelling bookings or cutting their group sizes, he said.

For the rest of the month, he believes the limit on group sizes will bring down sales by about 30 per cent – to levels seen during Phase 2, which ended on Dec 27.

“We are a Chinese restaurant. Our business is from … larger groups of six to seven people,” he said.