The Impact of Coping Mechanism on Two Fast-Food Restaurants in Quezon City amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vol.3, No.1B

Abstract

The restaurant industry has suffered greatly due to the COVID-19 pandemic in our country and worldwide. Many of the restaurants were on the edge of collapsing or shutting down. A few of them, though, managed to stay open despite having fewer operations. The COVID-19 pandemic has harmed many businesses, causing them to lose sales compared to their prior normal setup, as has been repeatedly reported and confirmed. Although a severe decrease hit the restaurant industry in revenues, owners/operators found methods to cope, even if it meant sacrificing day-to-day operational demands and employee wages. Many restaurant businesses were challenged, resulting in suddenly stopped operations, no income, and laying off workers, while others relied on government support.

The main priority concerns business operational continuity for all group members, employee protection, and market preservation. The study aims to see how the pandemic has affected their coping mechanisms. This research focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry in Quezon City, Philippines, as well as the coping mechanisms and challenges that food establishments faced during the pandemic.

The respondents of this study were selected from 25 employees from the two fast-food restaurants, with a total of 50 respondents who are currently working in the Bigs Restaurant and McDonald's at SM Fairview and West Avenue, Quezon City. Simple sampling techniques and descriptive research design were used to cater to the concerns of the study. The result of the impact of the coping mechanisms of two fast-food restaurants in Quezon City amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has a different response from the employees regarding coping mechanisms. They also undergo alternative duties at work, meaning they must be fully vaccinated. They also extend their management system to get body temperature, remind customers to have a facemask, and sanitize their hands properly. They have a list of problems they encountered, including the health risks faced by their employees, limited customers, and strict health protocols. The list is the utilization that can be applied to the two fast-food restaurants regarding the impact of coping mechanisms. They implement some strategies that may help their companies to remain and overcome the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The employees preferred to work in some strategies, such as managing alternate shifts for employees, requiring employees to be fully vaccinated and have a negative RT PCR or SWAB test result, and reminding customers about social distancing and other health protocols. The extent of the fast-food management system was inclined to body temperature, advising them to sanitize their hands properly, using online advertising and food deliveries, and offering promos and vouchers. The problems encountered by the respondents are strict health protocols, health risks faced by the employees, and limited customer service. This implies that the respondents may find ways to assess the problems during the peak of a pandemic. In this research, you will know the different impacts of coping mechanisms, especially in providing a solution to the problems that companies face during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.