忘年会キャンセルに悲鳴　都時短要請、客足に影響必至―外食産業

　新型コロナウイルスの流行が「第３波」の様相を呈する中、東京都が酒類を提供する飲食店などに営業時間の短縮を再び要請することを決めた。年末の忘年会シーズンに重なるため客足への影響は必至。外食各社からは「感染の再拡大で既に予約のキャンセルが出ているところに、時短要請は痛い」と悲鳴が上がる。
　首都圏などで居酒屋を展開する外食チェーンでは、忘年会予約の相当数がキャンセルとなった。同社は「例年なら書き入れ時だが、時短要請が追い打ちとなり、今後忘年会の客が増えるとは思えない」と肩を落とす。企業の大規模な宴会の需要は消失。少人数客に望みをつなぐ飲食店が多く、時短要請にどの程度応じるかは不透明だ。
　東京都が８月に酒類を提供する飲食店などに時短を求めた際は、すき家、吉野家、松屋フーズの牛丼チェーン３社などは酒類の販売を休止し、営業時間の短縮は見送った。すき家は「従業員の雇用維持」（広報担当者）のため、今回も都内約２５０店について、営業時間は変えず、酒類販売を一時休止することを決定。売り上げへの影響と感染予防をにらみながら、各社は対応を急ぐ。
　業界団体の日本フードサービス協会（東京）が２５日発表した１０月の外食産業売上高（新店含む全店ベース）は、前年同月比５．７％減だった。政府の飲食店支援策「Ｇｏ　Ｔｏ　イート」の効果などで９月（１４．０％減）に比べ減少幅は縮小した。ただ、広報担当者は「感染の再拡大が消費者心理に影を落としている」と先行きを不安視している。（2020/11/26-07:11）

The Tokyo metropolitan government's decision to request eateries to shorten business hours amid what appears to be a third wave of novel coronavirus infections is adding to the plight of many eating and drinking establishments in the Japanese capital that have already been hit by a spate of cancellations due to the spread of the virus.
   The metropolitan government on Wednesday decided to call on eateries serving alcoholic beverages and karaoke parlors again to move up the closing time, to 10 p.m. or earlier, over 20 days from Saturday to Dec. 17. The move will almost certainly affect the number of customers as the period will coincide with the year-end party season.
   A company that operates "izakaya" pubs in the Tokyo metropolitan area has seen a considerable number of year-end party reservations being canceled. "We are usually busy at this time of year, but the request from the metropolitan government will be an additional blow so we'll unlikely see an increase in customers for year-end parties," an official at the firm said.
   Still, it remains to be seen how many eating and drinking facilities will accept the request at a time when the epidemic has led to the disappearance of demand for large-scale parties from corporate customers and many stores are therefore relying on people who dine out in small groups for their revenues.
   When the Tokyo government made a similar request in August, three major beef-on-rice restaurant operators--Sukiya Co., Yoshinoya Co. and Matsuya Foods Co.--and some other eatery chains did not move up the closing time while suspending alcoholic beverage sales.