Takeout Tuesday becoming the new normal for some businesses

HANOVER, Mass. — Takeout Tuesday is a national effort for people to help local businesses stay afloat during the coronavirus epidemic.

Businesses are having to come up with new ways to interact with customers while making sure they respect that social distance recommendation.

From Panera to your local coffee shop, businesses need to stay open, but providing options that are safe and draw customers has made many rethink how they operate.

Over at the Hanover Starbucks, there’s a reminder how much people need coffee or maybe just to socialize even if it’s only distant socializing.

“I’ve been waiting in line about 20 minutes just to grab a coffee,” said Paul Joseph, who was among customers to support Lucky Finn Cafe just up the road.

“Even with the takeout, I’m sure it’s only a small percentage of what they typically do,” he said.

Owner Mary Ellen Stoddard says they just opened five months ago and were just picking up steam.

“We were just about ready to hit cruise control and then this all happened,” she said.

“This” has caused a reshaping of business. They’re limiting customer interactions and offering new choices.

“To encourage them to order online, pay online, choose curbside pickup. They just give us a call at either location when they arrive outside and we just run the stuff out,” Stoddard said.

And customers seem to like it.

“They’re being safe about it and doing their social distancing here at Lucky Finn’s,” Joseph said.

They’re cautious at Panera and Starbucks too.

And that makes Takeout Tuesday a safe socially distant option, to get out and also help local businesses.

“I guess inside of the Starbucks I feel a little more comfortable because I feel like they are sanitizing their hands and wearing gloves,” said customer Isadora Lenna.

That safety part is key to customers, and innovation like we showed is vital to small businesses, especially now that the governor has extended the stay-at-home advisory through May 4.

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