Impact of COVID-19 and Rapid Response of Small Restaurants in Thailand

The restaurant and service industry is a very important contributor to the global economy and the Thai economy. In particular, small restaurant in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, accounts for 41.78% of the total restaurants in the country. However, these sectors are vulnerable and susceptible to the COVID-19 outbreak. This research aims to report the impact of COVID-19 on small restaurants and consider the rapid short-term measures that restaurants are taking in response to the crisis. It is based on the latest fact-finding surveys to provide real-life solutions to problems. This research collected data from 290 respondents from small restaurant business via interview by telephone. We found the level of impact was directly related to sales and staffing rates, including making decisions about the business status as well as the rapid response of restaurants depending on consumer behavior, society, and technology to increase sales and reach consumers in this era.