As restaurants across Orange County begin opening back up with limited capacity, they won’t be alone as they traverse the impact and economic fallout that government closures have had on the food and beverage industry.
The Orange County Restaurant Association (OCRA) is giving restaurateurs a boost in the arm as it helps them to engage fun-seeking diners—while providing resources to cash-strapped business owners—via unique marketing and engagement initiatives.
This week’s “Margarita Crawl,” created by the OCRA well before the shutdowns, is now being used to stimulate recovery.
Something for Everyone
The Margarita Crawl isn’t just featuring traditional Latin/Mexican restaurants. Since margaritas are popular everywhere in the southland, even Irish pubs and Italian eateries are in on the fun.“Our goal has been to design events that engage every kind of diner with a variety of choices—whether you prefer to pick up your food and drinks to enjoy at home, order delivery, or dine-in, there’s literally something for everyone,” said Pam Waitt, president of the OCRA. “We want everyone to feel included, both restaurants and their patrons ... and what’s more fun than a hand-shaken margarita?”
So far, participating restaurants are giving the event a thumbs up.
At Muldoon’s Irish Pub in Newport Beach, normally known for its whiskeys and corned beef and cabbage, assistant general manager Corbin Campbell called the event a hit.
Paradigm Shifts
Waitt said that as a result of the popularity of cocktails to-go during the lockdowns, many restaurants have invested in bottle capping machines.“If the restaurants are able to provide what their clientele wants, they should be able to continue to derive the benefits of that revenue opportunity,” she said.
