But due to a combination of having the right product, loyal customers and the ability to pivot quickly, Lentini’s Plano restaurant, Taste of Thai, is down only 25% since fears of the virus prompted more residents to stay at home and led governments to restrict dine-in activity.
As a result, Taste of Thai has been able to tread water, he said.
“Our weekend takeout [orders] alone have been paying the rent, paying the staff and paying the bills,” Lentini said. “We’ve been really tremendously lucky.”
Lentini owns the restaurant with his wife, Nina Kuvijitjaru, who grew up in Thailand and whose authentic recipes are featured throughout the restaurant’s menu.
The restaurant had long incorporated fine-dining concepts into its experience, which meant it was oriented largely around a dine-in crowd.
But when the restaurant was required to close in March, the couple had to immediately recenter the whole concept of the restaurant around takeout, Lentini said.
They soon found that on weekdays, customers were typically only coming in for takeout in the late afternoon and the evenings. They also saw very little business on Mondays and Tuesdays. They adjusted their hours in response to the new realities.
The couple also increased their focus on delivery by partnering with multiple delivery services to get their food out to more people. Even though these services take a substantial cut of each transaction, Lentini said, the exposure allows Taste of Thai to reach more people.
Taste of Thai
3205 Alma Drive, Ste. 401, Plano
469-786-0202
www.tasteofthaiplano.com
Hours: Wed.-Fri. 3-9 p.m., Sat.-Sun. noon-9 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
