Over 100 million meals were claimed throughout August under the government’s “Eat out to Help Out” Scheme designed at kick starting the stalled hospitality sector.
Diners got a 50% discount on meals and soft drinks up to £10 each on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during August, covered by the government at a cost to date of £522 million, with figures likely to rise as outlets have until the end of September to claim.
The general feedback from those within the industry has been positive, with our own hospitality clients commenting on the positive effect the scheme had had on what would have usually been the slower part of the trading week.
Additionally clients have also noted the fast turnaround of payments from the government from the time their claims for the discounted meals were submitted.
Such has been the "appetite" for the scheme, some businesses have decided to carry it on independently, by funding their own discounts to diners throughout September in an attempt to maintain the increase in demand.
The scheme officially came to a close on 31st August 2020 and there are no plans for the government to reintroduce it at the moment.