Globally, countries have introduced restrictions on travel and social gatherings to fight the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). These restrictions have severely impacted the food and restaurant industry. Nevertheless, little is known about the strategies used by restaurants to survive in this new environment. This research, therefore, aims to address this gap and explore strategies used by restaurants to adjust to the new "with COVID-19" world. To do so, interviews were conducted with restaurant owners/managers in Daejeon (South Korea). In this study, the researcher uses the interpretative paradigm and semi-structured interviews.
Even though Korea is widely seen as having successfully managed the coronavirus epidemic without imposing a lockdown, the pandemic of COVID-19 has caused considerable modifications in Korean restaurant operations. Restaurant owners and managers were required to devise business survival strategies in order to remain afloat throughout the epidemic. As a result of adopting the business strategies, the study's findings revealed that customers' intentions to purchase menu items increased significantly. Positive outcomes proved that the deployment of business strategies might be very effective for restaurants, particularly during pandemics such as COVID-19.
The study's results indicated that business survival strategies such as food delivery service, extended business hours, the distribution of promotional coupons or half-price events, and advertising on social media platforms have assisted restaurants in increasing revenue and retaining customers during the pandemic period. These strategies, which restaurants employed, also aided them in achieving and maintaining long-term competitive advantages and customer loyalty.