[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Covid-19 has forced restaurants to adapt quickly to the changed way consumers experience dining. The restaurant industry is one of the hardest hit industries to Covid-19 restrictions related to sit-down dining, travel, seated capacity, trading times and alcohol sales. In February 2021, the Restaurant Association of South Africa estimated that a cumulative 33% of restaurants (3,630) in their database have closed as a direct result of lockdown restrictions (Purdon, 2021).

Based on this, the second year BCom Marketing Management students were grouped and tasked to create an integrated marketing communications plan for a local full-service restaurant of their choice, for the Integrated Marketing Communication module presented by Prof Ilse Struweg.

The students did well in their group assignments, which aimed at attracting existing and new clients to their restaurants in a still-existing (although less than before) lockdown COVID-19 world, but also to determine the needs of the local restaurants specifically to ensure the livelihood of their restaurants. Their ideas were well received by the respective restaurant owners.

Well-done to the students for making a difference during these tough times through creating IMC plans that assisted restaurant owners to keep their doors open.

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