Restaurants Can Dine In, Mall Visits Rate Directly Up 25 Percent

ILLUSTRATION/ANTARA PHOTOS

JAKARTA - General Chairperson of the Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) Alphonzus Widjaja said there was an increase in the visit rate at shopping centers by up to 25 percent. This is encouraged because the restaurant has been allowed to serve dine-in or eat on the spot.

A number of agglomeration areas have experienced a decline in the PPKM level to level 3, including DKI Jakarta. Thus, there is an easing of the visiting capacity of shopping centers to 50 percent from 25 percent and restaurants are allowed to serve dine-in.

"The visit rate is still around 20 to 25 percent (overall). Dine-in affects the level of definite visits. Because restaurants and cafes are the main destinations in shopping centers," he said when contacted by VOI, Saturday, August 28.

However, said Alphonzus, although dine-in is enough to encourage the level of visits at shopping centers, the increase is still relatively slow when compared to normal conditions before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"During this pandemic, the level of visits is always gradual. You can't go up all of a sudden like that. It's slow, it tends to be slow," he said.

Previously, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said that based on the decision to extend the PPKM until August 23, 2021, the government eased the capacity of mall visitors to 50 percent and allowed restaurants to serve dine-in with a capacity of 25 percent.

"The results of the evaluation process carried out by discipline to discipline us all, the government will expand coverage at level 4 as well as increase mall visits to 50 percent and dine-in 25 percent or two people per table for the next week during level 4 and in level 3 areas," said Luhut who is also the Coordinator of the Java-Bali PPKM in his presentation, Monday, August 16.

The following are the rules for eating at restaurants and shopping at Jabodetabek malls:

1) maximum capacity of 50 percent and operating hours until 20.00 local time with due observance of the health protocol regulated by the Ministry of Trade;

2) it is mandatory to use the Peduli Protect application to screen all visitors and employees of the related shopping center/mall/trade center;

3) restaurants/restaurants, cafes inside shopping centers/malls/trade centers can accept dine-in with a maximum capacity of 25 percent, one table for a maximum of two people, and a maximum meal time of 30 minutes;

4) residents under the age of 12 (twelve) years are prohibited from entering shopping centers/malls/trading centers; and

5) cinemas, children's playgrounds, and shopping/mall/center entertainment venues are closed.