Some businesses in Taiwan’s food service industry have begun offering unpaid leave to their employees and readjusting personnel to cut their losses amid canceled reservations due to the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.
Taichung Dan Tzyy Mian, a wedding and party banquet hall operator, has incurred a loss of nearly NT$3 million (US$99,661) due to falling bookings amid the outbreak, with no weddings scheduled for the rest of this month, the owner of the 34-year-old company, Chou Wen-tao (周文道), said on Sunday.
Many companies have canceled their spring banquet bookings, with the number of canceled tables reaching nearly 400, he said.
Photo: Chang Ching-ya, Taipei Times
As the cancelations have put the company in a difficult situation, it negotiated with its personnel to offer unpaid leave of two to three days per month to its 70 staff members, Chou said.
It is a measure of expediency that would sustain the company while ensuring its employees their livelihood, he said.
The banquet hall and dining services would remain open, Chen added.
The unpaid leave policy would cease once the outbreak is under control and customers return, he said.
Taichung-based Tempus Hotel on Friday announced on its Web site and Facebook page that its hot pot restaurant would be temporarily closed until April 30 and the employees would be transferred to two other restaurants in the hotel during the period.
To minimize losses, some hoteliers have launched food delivery services and special promotions to attract customers, and reduced staff by not hiring part-time workers.
A shrimp restaurant in Taichung has protected its business by using promotions and reassuring diners about disease prevention efforts taken by its staff, said the restaurant owner, surnamed Hsieh (謝).
The public has demonstrated an awareness for good health management, as diners who walk in ask the staff to measure their temperature and ask for hand sanitizer, Hsieh said, adding that the restaurant uses more than 1 liter of sanitizer per day.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
RSS